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Don’t Blame Your Genes If You Don’t Lose Weight

Don’t Blame Your Genes If You Don’t Lose Weight

You may be right in thinking that your genes may be at least partly responsible for your being overweight, but an extensive new study shows that you can’t  blame your genes for failing to lose weight.

A gene known as FTO makes carriers of the gene more  likely to be overweight. However, according to a study published in the British Medical Journal researchers at Newcastle University, carrying this gene does not prevent a person form losing weight. This new report is a review of eight studies which had a total of greater than 9,500 people. John Mathers, Professor Nutrition , who led this study says, “You can no longer blame your genes. Our study shows that improving your diet and being more physically active will help you lose weight, regardless of your genetic makeup.”

They found that carrying the the FTO gene does not prevent weight loss. Dr Mathers explains, “We were excited to find that people with the risk version of FTO respond just as well to weight loss interventions as everyone else. This is important news for people trying to lose weight as it means that diet, physical activity or drug-based weight loss plans will work just as well … For public health professionals, it means that the adverse effects of the FTO genotype on weight gain are not an impediment to weight loss interventions.”

In an editorial published in same issue of the Britsh Medical Journal BMJ, Dr Alison Tedstone, Chief nutritionist at Public Health England, said that  if we are to be effective in combating the epidemic of obesity genetic interventions  “may not pay off, at least in the short term… “a rebalancing of research towards whole systems approaches including environmental drivers may be of greater benefit to the population in the long term.”

For a weight loss program designed for you please see www.drsobo.com/therapeutic-services/weisht-loss/

For the best care in Integrative Medicine call Henry C. Sobo, M.D., at 203-348-8805 or write us at [email protected]