A common refrain from those burdened by overweight or obesity is, “Oh, it’s genetic. My parents and other relatives struggled with being heavy, and I’m the same.” Those not persuaded by these justifications, might make a reply reflecting some other point of view, such as :

• Genes are not destiny

• While you can’t control your genes, you can control your environment

• Hog wash; you eat too much and exercise too little

For all three replies, there is some recent validation. Some people do indeed have a quite common genetic mutation which favors weight gain. But they can reduce their risk of obesity via physical activity. A recent study (1) says that those who had the mutation, but were also physically active, tended not to gain weight.

Physical activity not only burns calories, reduces weight gain, improves insulin sensitivity, and allows blood sugar to be more easily burned by muscles. It can also blunt the effect of the genetic abnormality that predisposes towards weight gain.

Although it takes a significant amount of exercise to burn enough calories to lose significant weight, besides reducing a predisposition for weight gain, it also improves insulin sensitivity which is key to keeping type 2 diabetes at bay.

One of the favorite excuses for those resigned to a lifetime of overweight or obesity is now in serious question. A common genetic propensity for weight gain can be offset by physical activity. And even if your overweight/obesity is not caused by a genetic anomaly, you should be exercising anyway, if only to maintain your insulin sensitivity. That alone will significantly reduce diabetes and other metabolic disease risk.

Kai kapai,

Adiposer

References

1. Arch Intern Med, 2008;168:1791-1797