We have previously written about the existence of a gene that predisposes us to being obese or overweight. Recent studies have now demonstrated that exercise can inhibit the action of the obesity gene meaning we can no longer blame our parents and our grandparents for our ever increasing waistlines. Researchers at the Medical Research Council revealed that having a copy of this particular gene, the FTO gene (a gene associated with fat mass and obesity), will have 27% less of an effect on overweight people who are active compared with those who are inactive.
This level of activity includes simple exercises such as taking a walk or taking the stairs rather than the lift according to the study’s authors and it does not suggest that one needs to put in 2 hours a day at the gym in order to stymie the function of the fat gene.
Those with a copy of the FTO gene will eat 100 calories more for every meal than those without it. The researchers looked at information they had on genes, weight and exercise in relation to 220,000 people from all over the world. An association was spotted between the FTO gene and obesity but furthermore exercise seemed to substantially decrease the effectiveness of the gene.
This is an interesting study but not exactly ground-breaking. Every time that I read about this FTO gene I always think to myself that it is a bit weird that it is not affecting the people that I see down the gym or on my morning run around Clapham Common. While we cannot argue that there is not a genetic predisposition to a particular body type, getting off your backside and doing a bit of exercise and controlling what you put in your mouth is definitely going to help. You don’t need to be a doctor to work this out.