Are you a size 12 when you want to be a size 10? Don’t blame it on that piece of chocolate cake you just had, blame your genes! Genes that affect our appetite and energy have been associated with excess weight, according to papers published in the journal Nature Genetics in January this year. Scientists have made a genetic discovery that has linked obesity to how the brain functions, instead of how our food intake is digested.
The genomes of over 120000 people were studied by deCODE genetics in Iceland and it was found that the brain is the location of where most of these genes are triggered, focusing mainly in the hypothalamus. It was also discovered that age affected the genes and that at different ages, your weight is influenced by different mechanisms. At a young age, children were heavier when three of the genes were examined but when the other three genes were studied, there was no effect observed.
Of course these genes only affect a person’s weight in a small way, but more studies and experiments on this topic will further our knowledge and allow us to find possibly treatments for obesity.
For more information or to see the original article, visit http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2009/01/05/hlsf0106.htm#.
Alexandra Bongaarts
42015004
Alexandra Bongaarts
42015004
