Obese gene keeps people hungry
Obesity gene causes people to put on weight by keeping them hungry
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Monday, 28, Jul 2008 09:13
Scientists have claimed that a gene linked to obesity causes people to put on weight by keeping them hungry.
In a new study, over 3,000 children were examined to see if the FTO gene, linked to obesity, impacts on the ability to burn calories or appetite.
It was discovered that those with copies of the gene's risky variant were less likely to to lose their appetite when they should have been full.
The research carried out by the University College London and the Institute of Psychiatry, Kings College London, found that the children in question tended to overeat and struggled to recognise when they were full.
Professor Jane Wardle said: "It is not simply the case that people who carry the risky variant of this gene automatically become overweight, but they are more susceptible to overeating.
"This makes them significantly more vulnerable to the modern environment which confronts all of us with large portion sizes and limitless opportunities to eat."
FTO is the first gene to be linked to obesity with previous research showing that adults with copies of the higher risk versions of the gene are on average heavier than those without it.