Is obesity hardwired? It might just be. It turns out that there are genetic differences that determine how infants respond to food-and it may play a role in obesity risk.
More than 36 percent of the U.S. population is obese, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This places a large percentage of the population at increased risk for complications such as diabetes, cancer, obstructive sleep apnea and heart diseases. This makes it more important than ever to learn what makes a person more susceptible to becoming obese.
That's why researchers took a closer look at children. The scientists found that infants with greater appetites grew faster during a 15-month span. This actually increased their risk for obesity. In addition, this increased appetite might also be genetic.
"Appetite is key and it would be sensible for parents to keep an eye on children who appear to be responding to food a lot more avidly than their peers," said Clare Llewellyn, one of the researchers, in an interview with Philly.com.
In fact, the researchers found that some children were more predisposed to larger body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference, according to Tech Times. If scientists can find out which children are most at risk, then they can identify individuals early on and target them for intervention.
"Children with lower satiety sensitivity could be t aught techniques that might improve their fullness signals when eating, such as slowing their eating speed," said Llewellyn in an interview with Tech Times. "Another approach might be to provide better advice to parents and children about appropriate portion sizes, limiting access to 'second helpings' and ensuring tempting treats are out of sight between meals."
The findings reveal how important it is to assess a child's risk for obesity and to also teach children how to manage food intake properly. If some children are predisposed to being obese, then early intervention is key; the latest findings could potentially help curb the rising statistics for the obesity epidemic in the U.S.
