Researchers find genetic link to obesity

February 4, 2010 in Nutrition Topics in the News, Weight Management

Researchers find genetic link to obesity

A new study from British researchers is making waves this week after they reported finding a genetic link to obesity.   


The researchers, from Imperial College London, found that a small number of extremely obese people were all missing the same chunk of genetic material.  Researchers scanned the genetic makeup of over 16,000 obese and normal weight people and found that a notable number of obese participants, those with a body mass index (BMI) over 40, were missing the same genes.  None of the normal weight study participants were missing the genes.


While high calorie foods combined with a sedentary lifestyle is the cause for much of the obesity epidemic in most Western countries, these latest findings shed light on the role that genes may play in influencing weight in some people.  The study was published in the journal Nature.

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