Obesity Gene

Scientist have finally figured out that there is a gene that is related to obesity. Experiments revealed that faulty versions of FTO cause energy from food to be stored as fat rather than burned. Genetic experiments on mice have showed that drugs might be developed to reverse this effect. This gene glitch is found in about 44% European and 5% black so it can’t be blamed for all obesity cases so exercise and diet may still be necessary . If you have the faulty gene it doesn’t mean you’re going to be obese but it does predispose you to it. 

"It's a potential target" for drug development, said Dr. Sam Klein, an obesity researcher at Washington University in St. Louis. He called the work "an amazing study" and "a scientific tour de force."

The FTO gene influences the master switch that control thermogenesis or burning off energy. It’s been know that brown or beige fatter tissue which is known as the good fat burns off calories. The white fat stores them. The gene is there to determine if the calories become white or brown. One experiment researchers blocked the faulty gene in mice and found that the mice became fifty percent leaner than other mice despite both eating a high-fat diet. 

I like this article because it shows that some people even know they diet and exercise and still can't lose weight and it could be because of this FTO gene. It also shows us that we can't look at a person and just assume that they watch TV all day and eat Oreo's. Some people have thyroid problems or now they might have a faulty gene. I hope in the future that there will be a drug that can alter this faulty gene. 

original article can be found here