It's a known fact that obesity is one of the leading causes in the deterioration of one's physical health. Unhealthy diet and junk food is often held responsible for the disease, but recent researches have emerged that obesity, can potentially be 'genetic'. This being said, are genes to blame for most individuals' overweight problems?
As per Wed Md, researches have revealed that difference in once genes can eventually aid weight issues. As per the website, if one's parents are obese, there's a big chance that the offspring would be obese as well, though genetic obesity can still be fought with diet and exercise.
One gene that's being quite popular in genetics is calling in a lot of attention. This said gene is called FTO. Scientist was able to came into conclusion that individuals with "certain differences in this gene have a 20% to 30% higher chance of obesity."
Naima Moustaid Moussa, PhD, director of the Obesity research Cluster at Texas Tech University however stated that obesity can actually run in the family, not because it is genetically acquired but because of family's eating habits and environment. Technically speaking, it still boils down to nature VS nurture.
"Obesity is a very complex disease, and many factors can contribute to it and cause it, including genetics, behavior, and environment,"
Medical News Today then added that some people would normally opt for high calorie food, and again it is being linked to the FTO gene. As per the research, individuals who acquires the FTO genes has higher risk for obesity early. It was stated that dopamine is to be held responsible for their sense of craving and reward would often come from the presence of unhealthy food.
Leah Wingham, PhD, fellow of The Obesity Society and executive director of Paso Del Norte Institute for Healthy Living in El Paso, TX, stated:
"These findings help us better understand the biological basis of behaviors that may predispose some people to overeating high-calorie foods, and hence obesity.It could help us better target treatments for obesity so particular people get the most effective treatment, as individualized approaches to obesity are necessary."
