Today my local newspaper transliterated an article published yesterday on The Independent: Obesity can begin in the brain, gene study shows - Hope for new treatments for the 400 million people WHO believes are too fat.
I am really interested in genetics and medicine. Also reading that there will be a "treatment for 400 million people" seemed to me a great perspective so I looked more into this.
Probably the original scientific paper still needs to be published and the article gives no reference (update 1). At the moment I found on Pubmed other genetic association studies by the authors cited, but not the 90.000 patients study this article refers to.
The article starts stating:
Eating too much and putting on weight may be more to do with one's state of mind rather than a metabolic imbalance, according to a study that reveals six genes linked with obesity.Wow. I thought that putting on weight had - in the majority of cases - something to do with physical inactivity more than with a metabolic imbalance. I have no idea on what the author suggests with "state of mind".
I would like to open a parenthesis which can help understand better: very interesting insights on the influence of genetic predisposition and environmental factors where brought by Dr. Monte's Fitness Rocks Episode 114 "Physical Activity and Obesity Genes". Dr. Rampersaud states that what they found is that, in the people that their study investigated, that had physical activity, the effects of genetic association was pretty much abolished. In other words "our results strongly suggest that the increased risk of obesity owing to genetic susceptibility by FTO (fat mass and obesity associated) variants can be blunted through physical activity."
Looking again to the article published on The Independent...
Scientists found six genetic variants that appear to cause a small but significant increase in weight. If someone carried all six variants they would typically be between 1.5kg and 2kg (3.3lb and 3.4lb) heavier than the average person.So, I guess finding a treatment (remember those 400 million people!) to modify gene expression to get rid of those 1.5 - 2 kg that naughty genetic variations have condemned a person to have is crucial for world health.
I'm absolutely not saying we shouldn't conduct this kind of research on genetics and molecular biology. But the interpretation of results is essential and I guess we are really missing a point here.
So what's the message that the article from The Independent suggests? You decide!
A. - It's all the genes fault! One day we might find a treatment to let 400 million people lose weight, maybe with some gene modifying pills you can get while sitting confortably on your couch.
B. - It will be possible to perform genetic screening tests on blood samples to check if you have these genes or not which is crutial for deciding which lifestyle to follow. Finally you will know and feel more conforbable: if you don't have any of these genes, then it will be ok for you to do no physical activity. You can do what you want, you won't get weight.
C. - Physical activity has nothing to do with weight. It's all about a particular STATE OF MIND.
update 1 Jan 2009: I found the reference! It's a meta-analysis of 15 genome-wide association studies for BMI and further studies by many authors published on Nature Genetics Vol. 41 Num. 1 of this month. It had been published online on Dec. 14th.
Links:
Obesity can begin in the brain, gene study shows - Science, News - The Independent
FitnessRocks.org - Physical Activity and Obesity Genes
Arch Intern Med -- Abstract: Physical Activity and the Association of Common FTO Gene Variants With Body Mass Index and Obesity, September 8, 2008, Rampersaud et al. 168 (16): 1791
Photo Credit: Mr TGT http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrtgt/41297748/
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You know, if I don't run and reduce my caloric intake, I do get larger, so I don't know what to think. It is so true that the human body does get used to running and that can diminish the benefits, but I think it is necessary.
It is the brain, that if influenced, can make some dramatic changes.
Six genes don't equal the whole "obesity" issue. Genetics only means that some people are more susceptible to weight increases than others who may not have the variant alleles. But genes still interact with environment in complicated ways (too complicated in fact not even serious Math can point it down), so physical activity and healthy lifestyle make a huge difference in one's weight.
It's hard to agree with those statements that you quoted. I'm sure that some part of obesity can be linked to the brain and a person's genetic makeup. However, there are ways to combat your genes, with exercise especially. Your individual health should not be a secondary issue in one's life, you should want to stay healthy and live a full life in order to reach your full potential.