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The work solves a big mystery: Since 2007, researchers have known that a gene called FTO was related to obesity, but they didn’t know how, and could not tie it to appetite or other known factors.
Now experiments reveal that a faulty version of the gene causes energy from food to be stored as fat rather than burned. Genetic tinkering in mice and on human cells in the lab suggests this can be reversed, giving hope that a drug or other treatment might be developed to do the same in people.
The discovery challenges the notion that “when people get obese it was basically their own choice because they choose to eat too much or not exercise,” said study leader Melina Claussnitzer, a genetics specialist at Harvard-affiliated Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. “For the first time, genetics has revealed a mechanism in obesity that was not really suspected before” and gives a third explanation or factor that’s involved.
I'm not surprised by this at all. I've thought for a long time there has to be something genetic involved in obesity (or lack of it). I'm 6' tall and I have never weighed more than 125lbs my entire life, regardless of what, or how much I eat, or the amount of exercise I get. I simply burn it as fast as I take it in. So I've always asked "what makes me different from someone that will gain weight by just looking at a donut?"
I'm sure diet & exercise play a large role for many people, but for others (like me), it just doesn't matter what they do, their weight, or lack of it, will always be impossible to control. I hope this research leads to some answers & treatment.
Very interesting and not surprising. This has long been suspected. I hope they can develop this into something like everyone else on the thread. Obesity has become a serious issue in the world today and it would be nice if something actually helped fix the problem on a long-term basis and not just short-term.
No, I was talking about the opposite. I've always eaten as much as I want and I've never been a physically active person, yet I have never been able to gain weight. Believe me, I've tried.
No, I was talking about the opposite. I've always eaten as much as I want and I've never been a physically active person, yet I have never been able to gain weight. Believe me, I've tried.
You probably have a faster metabolism than average. People like yourself can get away with eating more with everything else being equal and not gain weight though we all have a point where we will start packing on pounds. Those who don't and have an average metabolism, or slow metabolism, etc have to eat like more "normal" people. I was the same up until my 30's. I could eat everything/anything and not gain any weight but in my 30's, my metabolism changed quite a bit. Was a good thing because I realized all the garbage I was eating was not only a potential gaining weight problem but not good for my body on more important levels like the health of my heart, cancer risk, etc.
I'm surprised they are not developing a self-discipline pill. Imagine the money in that one!
If obesity is genetic, then why does bariatric surgery work? That's not a genetic procedure.
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I was the same up until my 30's. I could eat everything/anything and not gain any weight but in my 30's, my metabolism changed quite a bit. Was a good thing because I realized all the garbage I was eating was not only a potential gaining weight problem but not good for my body on more important levels like the health of my heart, cancer risk, etc.
