Researchers from the University of Chicago have said that they have found a gene that is associated to obesity. They have said that they think that the gene IRX3 controls body mass and regulates body composition. Although the research showed an association between the gene and obesity, it did not prove a cause-and-effect link. The IRX3 gene was first found though the analysis if 150 samples of DNA from people of European descent. To verify the role of IRX3 in obesity, the researchers created mice without the gene and found that they weighed about 30 percent less than normal mice. Most of the weight difference were due to the lack of body fat of these altered mice. These new rats were completely resistant to high-fat diet-induced obesity. The only problem with this research is that animal studies cannot often be replicated in humans. Previous studies have said that mutations of the gene FTO has a significant role in determining the risk of obesity in people. But this new study shows that this obesity mutation in FTO interacts with the IRX3 gene and alone the FTO mutation has only a minor effect on obesity risk.It is interesting that certain genes increases the risk in obesity in people. But the final deciding factor whether someone will be obese or not is that person. It is up to the individual to determine whether they will either exercise and eat healthy, or be lazy and eat McDonald's every day.
