For some time, researchers have been aware that genetic factors predispose individuals to certain body weights and shapes, and it is now thought that genetics may account for up to 80 percent of an individual's body mass index. So can we effectively combat the genes that prevent us from reaching our weight-loss goal or achieving a perfectly contoured body? Recently, scientists began to identify some of the genes involved in metabolism, with the hope that this will help people identify which weight-loss strategy would be the most effective for them.
The reigning theory of the connection between metabolism and genetics is called the thrifty gene hypothesis. In essence, the hypothesis states that natural selection predisposed our ancestors to storing energy very efficiently. Since access to a stable food supply has been rare throughout history until more recently, people who could readily store fat in their bodies were more likely to survive than those who could not.
Published in BMC Medical Genetics of BioMed Central Ltd, a 2011 research study of obese Polynesians identified a variant of the PPARGC1A gene as a likely "thrifty gene." Subsequently, researchers assume that ancient Polynesians on the Pacific Islands faced a greater risk of starvation, hence triggering the natural selection of the fat-storing variant of PPARGC1A.
Similarly, the FTO gene has been subjected to detailed scrutiny. A European study comparing teenagers on identical diets and exercise regimens found that participants with a specific variant, or allele, in the FTO gene possessed approximately six to seven pounds of additional body fat compared to the subjects without the allele. In total, some 50 gene variants have been associated with weight gain, some working systemically and others making us prone to gaining weight in specific areas of the body.
Can this knowledge help us lose weight? The answer depends on who you ask. A few companies have started offering genetic testing as part of their weight-loss program, with the claim that a greater understanding of the activity of genes can help to provide a unique diet regimen per client. For instance, one of these companies might advise people to choose a low-carbohydrate diet if they possess a gene that has the propensity to turn carbohydrates into fat.
Scientists generally have been skeptical about such genetic diet programs. Although gene combinations may slightly skew metabolism, the most effective diet strategy is, and always has been, to have people consume fewer calories than they burn.
The future may hold clear-cut genetic solutions to obesity, but for now, scientific understanding of genes does not provide any alternative for people trying to shed pounds. Yet, if genetics keep a person from eliminating excess fat or if an area of the body is not responding to weight loss, the best option may be minimally-invasive cosmetic surgery.
The reigning theory of the connection between metabolism and genetics is called the thrifty gene hypothesis. In essence, the hypothesis states that natural selection predisposed our ancestors to storing energy very efficiently. Since access to a stable food supply has been rare throughout history until more recently, people who could readily store fat in their bodies were more likely to survive than those who could not.
Published in BMC Medical Genetics of BioMed Central Ltd, a 2011 research study of obese Polynesians identified a variant of the PPARGC1A gene as a likely "thrifty gene." Subsequently, researchers assume that ancient Polynesians on the Pacific Islands faced a greater risk of starvation, hence triggering the natural selection of the fat-storing variant of PPARGC1A.
Similarly, the FTO gene has been subjected to detailed scrutiny. A European study comparing teenagers on identical diets and exercise regimens found that participants with a specific variant, or allele, in the FTO gene possessed approximately six to seven pounds of additional body fat compared to the subjects without the allele. In total, some 50 gene variants have been associated with weight gain, some working systemically and others making us prone to gaining weight in specific areas of the body.
Can this knowledge help us lose weight? The answer depends on who you ask. A few companies have started offering genetic testing as part of their weight-loss program, with the claim that a greater understanding of the activity of genes can help to provide a unique diet regimen per client. For instance, one of these companies might advise people to choose a low-carbohydrate diet if they possess a gene that has the propensity to turn carbohydrates into fat.
Scientists generally have been skeptical about such genetic diet programs. Although gene combinations may slightly skew metabolism, the most effective diet strategy is, and always has been, to have people consume fewer calories than they burn.
The future may hold clear-cut genetic solutions to obesity, but for now, scientific understanding of genes does not provide any alternative for people trying to shed pounds. Yet, if genetics keep a person from eliminating excess fat or if an area of the body is not responding to weight loss, the best option may be minimally-invasive cosmetic surgery.
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