Its official, obesity is genetic. The gene, known as FTO, was recently discovered by scientists at Oxford University after several years of research.
In an article published on ScienceDaily.com titled “Eat to Live: Obesity’s officially genetic,” the research leading to the discovery of FTO is revealed. Scientists compared 2,000 genomes of people with type 2 diabetes to 3,000 genomes of health individuals and found an interesting link between one variation of FTO and obesity. As stated in the above article, “The scientists established that 16 percent of people had the weakest genetic composition. They were found to have two copies of the high-risk version and to carry an average of 7 pounds excess weight, with 15 percent more body fat. This percentage, one in six people, has a 70-percent greater risk of becoming obese” while those with one high-risk and one low-risk gene had a 30 percent chance of developing obesity.
It is important to emphasize the relatively moderate amount of excess weight associated with a high-risk genetic composition. Note: FTO does not account for the 20, 40 or even 100 pounds obese patients often struggle with. There comes a point where diet and exercise must be taken into consideration. Don’t waste your time waiting for the magic drug that will slim your figure in a matter of weeks, it just ain’t worth it. Go for a walk, even if it is to the local grocery store to get some Ruffles and dip for TBS’s M*A*S*H re-run marathon that you simply must watch all afternoon.
Why change your lifestyle habits now? Well, those living in Rio de Janeiro with obesity have been forced to share medical equipment with local racehorses because standard medical equipment doesn’t support their bodies. How humiliating is that? Wouldn’t you rather lose those extra pounds by making healthy lifestyle changes than be sent to the local horse barn to get weighed and essentially be treated like an animal? I certainly would, even if nature had already decided that I would never fit into a pair of size 2 genes….err, jeans.
In an article published on ScienceDaily.com titled “Eat to Live: Obesity’s officially genetic,” the research leading to the discovery of FTO is revealed. Scientists compared 2,000 genomes of people with type 2 diabetes to 3,000 genomes of health individuals and found an interesting link between one variation of FTO and obesity. As stated in the above article, “The scientists established that 16 percent of people had the weakest genetic composition. They were found to have two copies of the high-risk version and to carry an average of 7 pounds excess weight, with 15 percent more body fat. This percentage, one in six people, has a 70-percent greater risk of becoming obese” while those with one high-risk and one low-risk gene had a 30 percent chance of developing obesity.
It is important to emphasize the relatively moderate amount of excess weight associated with a high-risk genetic composition. Note: FTO does not account for the 20, 40 or even 100 pounds obese patients often struggle with. There comes a point where diet and exercise must be taken into consideration. Don’t waste your time waiting for the magic drug that will slim your figure in a matter of weeks, it just ain’t worth it. Go for a walk, even if it is to the local grocery store to get some Ruffles and dip for TBS’s M*A*S*H re-run marathon that you simply must watch all afternoon.
Why change your lifestyle habits now? Well, those living in Rio de Janeiro with obesity have been forced to share medical equipment with local racehorses because standard medical equipment doesn’t support their bodies. How humiliating is that? Wouldn’t you rather lose those extra pounds by making healthy lifestyle changes than be sent to the local horse barn to get weighed and essentially be treated like an animal? I certainly would, even if nature had already decided that I would never fit into a pair of size 2 genes….err, jeans.
For further information regarding the discovery of FTO, check out: http://www.sciencedaily.com/upi/index.php?feed=Science&article=UPI-1-20070413-18385500-bc-eat2live-obesity.xml.
For learn more about being obese in Rio de Janeiro, go to:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17949176/
For learn more about being obese in Rio de Janeiro, go to:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17949176/
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