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Adventurer
Joined: 28 Jan 2006
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 Posted: Fri Apr 13, 2007 7:52 am Post subject: Clear obesity gene link 'found' |
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Last Updated: Thursday, 12 April 2007, 18:10 GMT 19:10 UK
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Clear obesity gene link 'found'
Scientists have found a clear genetic link to obesity
Scientists say they have identified the clearest genetic link to obesity yet.
They found people with two copies of a "fat" version of a gene had a 70% higher risk of obesity than those with none, and weighed 3kg (6.5lb) more.
The work in Science by the Peninsula Medical School and Oxford University studied data from about 40,000 people.
The findings suggest that although improving lifestyle is key to reducing obesity, some people may find it harder to lose weight because of their genes.
The typical message has been that if you are overweight it is due to sloth and gluttony and it is your fault
Professor Andrew Hattersley
Send us your comments
Half of white Europeans carry one copy of the variant and one in six has two copies, experts estimate.
The authors say their work, funded by the Wellcome Trust, could improve understanding of obesity and eventually help prevent it, as well as an illness it is linked to.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/6547891.stm |
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yingwenlaoshi
Joined: 12 Feb 2007
Location: ... location, location!
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| Posted: Fri Apr 13, 2007 9:07 am Post subject: |
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His mommy and daddy were fat and now so is he. Genes. |
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BS.Dos.
Joined: 29 Mar 2007
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| Posted: Sat Apr 14, 2007 7:03 am Post subject: |
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| Yes, but can you imagine life without these guys? |
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jinju
Joined: 22 Jan 2006
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| Posted: Sat Apr 14, 2007 4:23 pm Post subject: |
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| yingwenlaoshi wrote: |
His mommy and daddy were fat and now so is he. Genes. |
heheheh |
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pdx
Joined: 19 Jan 2007
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| Posted: Sat Apr 14, 2007 5:24 pm Post subject: |
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While I don't want to blame fatness completely on a gene, this makes some sense.
The women in my family are bigger, and I just happen to be on the bigger side. I know that quite a bit of this comes from learning a lifestyle from my female relatives, but still, when I have tried to lose weight, nothing happens. Months of running did nothing, change in diet did nothing, both at the same time did nothing.. etc.
I certainly do not plan to stop trying to be healthy just because i don't lose weight when i TRY to be healthy, but I've often wondered at a sort of gene that doesn't really make you fat, but just makes it harder for you to lose weight.
(Is there truth to the myth that it's harder for women to lose weight than men?) |
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Adventurer
Joined: 28 Jan 2006
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| Posted: Sat Apr 14, 2007 6:55 pm Post subject: |
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| pdx wrote: |
While I don't want to blame fatness completely on a gene, this makes some sense.
The women in my family are bigger, and I just happen to be on the bigger side. I know that quite a bit of this comes from learning a lifestyle from my female relatives, but still, when I have tried to lose weight, nothing happens. Months of running did nothing, change in diet did nothing, both at the same time did nothing.. etc.
I certainly do not plan to stop trying to be healthy just because i don't lose weight when i TRY to be healthy, but I've often wondered at a sort of gene that doesn't really make you fat, but just makes it harder for you to lose weight.
(Is there truth to the myth that it's harder for women to lose weight than men?) |
Of course, it is harder for women to lose weight. You have to consider that women are supposed to consume around 2,000 calories a day.
The number for men is 3,000 calories i.e. men can consume 50% more calories than the women. That is an important point especially since more of are foods these days as sold by many Western restaurants pile on the calories. Because of the heavy calories in some meals, a woman and man could easily consume 4,000 calories in a day. For a woman that would 100% more than what she would need i.e. way to much and for a man it would be 50%. Overtime, that definitely would add up.
You can't really change the major companies, but you can alter your diet somewhat, but the key is exercise. If a person is toning themselves and working out enough then the calories would turn more into muscle with definition than fat. Simply just trying to eat right won't work, I believe. |
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Junior
Joined: 18 Nov 2005
Location: the eye
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| Posted: Sat Apr 14, 2007 7:07 pm Post subject: |
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Genetics and DNA is a young science.
If we agree its down to a gene, then why do 20% of Americans have this gene yet in virtually every other nation only 1% of people do?
Next: "Man is cleared of responsibility for murder when tests prove he has the homicide gene" |
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twg
Joined: 02 Nov 2006
Location: Getting some fresh air...
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| Posted: Sat Apr 14, 2007 7:14 pm Post subject: |
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| Junior wrote: |
| If we agree its down to a gene, then why do 20% of Americans have this gene yet in virtually every other nation only 1% of people do? |
Probably the same reason 99% of the people living in Africa have dark skin. Changes brought about due to environmental conditions.
That having been said: I think the "fat gene" only makes you more likely to become obese given your daily routine. Mr. Monster Burger up above probably only exercises by walking to the TV remote. I mean, they make 'em big in my family as well, but I know that my weight gain and loss is entirely about how much exercise I do.
Which reminds me, it's a nice day. I'm going out for a walk |
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Adventurer
Joined: 28 Jan 2006
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| Posted: Sat Apr 14, 2007 9:14 pm Post subject: |
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| Junior wrote: |
Genetics and DNA is a young science.
If we agree its down to a gene, then why do 20% of Americans have this gene yet in virtually every other nation only 1% of people do?
Next: "Man is cleared of responsibility for murder when tests prove he has the homicide gene" |
The study said half of white Europeans have one copy of the gene and a smaller minority has two copies. If you have two copies, you have a 70% greater chance of being obese, and if you have one copy a 30% larger chance. Some people have no copies of the gene. Of course, it is not an excuse to say "I have the two genes, man, and so I have to accept being a certain way". It just means you would have to maybe work out more or exercise more than others and be more conscious of what you eat. An overweight person physically could be more flexible than a thin person. We are just all physically different. I am sure there are people who are heavier than others who could kick higher than them. |
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yingwenlaoshi
Joined: 12 Feb 2007
Location: ... location, location!
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| Posted: Sat Apr 14, 2007 10:54 pm Post subject: |
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| twg wrote: |
| Junior wrote: |
| If we agree its down to a gene, then why do 20% of Americans have this gene yet in virtually every other nation only 1% of people do? |
Probably the same reason 99% of the people living in Africa have dark skin. Changes brought about due to environmental conditions.
That having been said: I think the "fat gene" only makes you more likely to become obese given your daily routine. Mr. Monster Burger up above probably only exercises by walking to the TV remote. I mean, they make 'em big in my family as well, but I know that my weight gain and loss is entirely about how much exercise I do.
Which reminds me, it's a nice day. I'm going out for a walk |
...to Burger King. |
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twg
Joined: 02 Nov 2006
Location: Getting some fresh air...
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| Posted: Sat Apr 14, 2007 11:14 pm Post subject: |
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Oh! Zing!  |
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Xerxes
Joined: 10 Jan 2006
Location: Down a certain (rabbit) hole, apparently
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| Posted: Sat Apr 14, 2007 11:37 pm Post subject: |
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I just recently lost 12 kilos and have kept it off for about a year now (although my recent visit to US for vacation had me regain 3 of those kilos). I am told that I won't have these for long as long as my body doesn't get acclimated to the new weight.
When I went back to US, I noticed how fat most of my family on my mother's side were. Obesity gene?
It is all about the food intake. At the time of the weight loss, I was eating less, but was not exercising all that much. Now I am exercising everyday at a health club I joined.
I am now on a mission to get a six-pack, and I cannot for the life of me. I do crunches, sit-ups, ab workouts with weights, without weights, with many repetitions, with few repetitions. I guess I am nearing some line to cross before I get there, but I only show a shadow of a six-pack only when the light is just right and I am leaning back 20%.
I could walk around like that and look like a total tit. |
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Adventurer
Joined: 28 Jan 2006
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| Posted: Sun Apr 15, 2007 6:39 am Post subject: |
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| Xerxes wrote: |
I just recently lost 12 kilos and have kept it off for about a year now (although my recent visit to US for vacation had me regain 3 of those kilos). I am told that I won't have these for long as long as my body doesn't get acclimated to the new weight.
When I went back to US, I noticed how fat most of my family on my mother's side were. Obesity gene?
It is all about the food intake. At the time of the weight loss, I was eating less, but was not exercising all that much. Now I am exercising everyday at a health club I joined.
I am now on a mission to get a six-pack, and I cannot for the life of me. I do crunches, sit-ups, ab workouts with weights, without weights, with many repetitions, with few repetitions. I guess I am nearing some line to cross before I get there, but I only show a shadow of a six-pack only when the light is just right and I am leaning back 20%.
I could walk around like that and look like a total tit. |
Xerxes I have something to say to you - "Sparta!" Just messing with you.
When I came to Korea I gained about 30 pounds somehow. Maybe I was eating more and I drank enough beer. I cut back on the beer, sugar intake, have more protein, and I walk a bit more than I used to. I lost the 30 pounds. I never became big, but I was definitely noticeably over what I am supposed to weigh. I just didn't want to weigh 86 kilograms.
Now, I am at 75 kilograms which isn't bad for a male at 5'9. |
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Hollywoodaction
Joined: 02 Jul 2004
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| Posted: Sun Apr 15, 2007 8:16 am Post subject: |
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| People are going to use this as a pretext to continue overeating and not working out. |
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desultude
Joined: 15 Jan 2003
Location: Dangling my toes in the Persian Gulf
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| Posted: Sun Apr 15, 2007 8:43 am Post subject: |
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Genetic evolutionary change takes a long time to happen.
The problem with attributing the fat epidemic, not just in the States, but in a lot of the rest of the world, including Asia, to genetics is that this problem has happened in only one generation.
Yes, there have always been some people who have a genetic predisposition to being heavy, but for the majority of us, it is a matter of diet and "lifestyle".
One major component in weight gain is stress. And it is that weight that gathers around the middle, the most dangerous place to carry fat.
It is a complex problem, and, yes, it is seriously inappropriate to blame the individuals who have to struggle with their weight. If it were just a few people, then we could blame individual choices. The problem is cultural, having to do with manufactured food, stressful lifestyles, and the decline of from scratch home cooking, which requires that someone have the time to produce healthy meals.
On the other hand, once a person understands the situation, they can work to deal with it to some degree. |
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