‘Wrong genes’ could play leading role in making people obese: study

The battle of the bulge often becomes a corpulent quagmire because many overweight people have been saddled with the wrong genes, a new study reports.

The study from the Icahn School of Medicine in New York City is revealing that possibly as many as nine out of 10 obese people are fat simply because of their genes — and no amount of exercise can change that. Researchers say that the fat gene may be so insidious that when it mutates it doubles the weight in mice — and could lead to diabetes.

Researchers looked at one family and discovered the fat gene — known as CEP 19 — made them chunky. The gene determines appetite and energy levels.

When the gene mutated in mice, they became lethargic and developed voracious appetites that made them fat.

“Starting with the gene discovery in a single family with morbid obesity, these studies led to the identification of a gene that seems to be fundamental to regulating nutritional status,” geneticist Dr. John Martignetti said.

“This gene is shown to be present not only in humans and mice, but also in the simplest known single-cell animal. Nature considers this gene so important that it has preserved its structure for more than 700 million years.”

Now, the research team said that various therapies to revive the original gene could help sideline some of the extra pounds.

Martignetti and Dr. Adel Shalata, of the Ziv Medical Centre in Israel, discovered the gene mutation in one morbidly obese Israeli family. They then tested the gene in mice. The study found people with the mutated gene had an average body mass index (BMI) of 48.7 — way above the 30 that put them in the morbidly obese slot. The BMI range of obese family members varied from 36.7 to 61.

“The mouse models we have generated, which can be more than twice as heavy as other mice and are insulin resistant, represent important research tools for basic biology and clinical testing,” Martignetti said, adding,

“Obesity is a global epidemic, affecting almost all areas of human health, from heart disease to cancer, and impacting upon most of the major causes of preventable death.

“Moreover, obesity rates are rising dramatically worldwide. If we are going to combat this disease, we need to understand its medical basis.”

Researchers have discovered what’s been called the “fat gene” that predisposes people to become obese. It is hoped the research will lead to therapies to combat obesity epidemic.