Heavy weight loss What role do genes play in terms of fat cells and obesity?

Influence of genes on overweight and obesity is questionable

More and more people in the world are too fat. Most overweight is due to a lifestyle with little physical activity and high energy food. Scientific research has shown that some people also develop obesity and obesity because of their genes. But according to a new study, the influence of genetic factors on nutrition is questionable.

Every second German is too fat

Overweight and obesity have become a global health problem. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 39 percent of adults in Europe are overweight. In Germany, more than 50 percent of adults are overweight, about one fifth is obese according to the Robert Koch Institute (RKI). This is mainly due to the modern lifestyle, which is characterized by low physical activity and too much energetic food.

Obesity is favored mainly by low physical activity and too much energetic food. But genetic factors also play a role in the development of obesity. However, the functions of the genes and the biological mechanisms behind them are largely unknown. (Image: MartesiaBezuidenhout / fotolia.com)

Genetic factors for the development of obesity

But genetic factors also play a role in the development of obesity.

For example, an international research team found a gene responsible for the development of obesity and Japanese scientists reported finding a fat-burning gene.

To date, about one hundred genes have been identified that are related to the body mass index (BMI). However, the functions of the genes and the biological mechanisms behind them are largely unknown.

Meaningfulness of gene diets is not proven

Nonetheless, individual dietary recommendations based on genetic analysis are currently in vogue.

A research team at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) has now systematically analyzed articles and comes to the following conclusion:

There is no clear evidence of the influence of genetic factors on the consumption of calories, carbohydrates and fat. The usefulness of gene diets is not proven by today's knowledge.

Current knowledge is limited

The first database research by the TUM team revealed more than 10,000 articles that were relevant to the topic. Of these, 39 articles revolved around the relationship between genetic factors and total energy, carbohydrate or fat intake.

"In all of the studies, we have most commonly encountered the fat mass and obesity gene (FTO) as well as the melanocortin-4 receptor gene (MC4R). There are indications that these two genes are linked to the total energy intake, "explains Dr. Christina Holzapfel from the Institute of Nutritional Medicine of the TUM in a statement.

However, the study evaluation did not provide a consistent picture: "We can only make a small difference between the FTO gene and low energy input and the MC4R gene and increased energy supply."

So far, there is no evidence that certain genetic factors are related to the total intake of calories, carbohydrates and fat.

The current state of knowledge is still too limited to derive based on genetic information individual nutritional recommendations, such as for weight management, explains the scientist. The latter is also joined by the relevant specialist societies.

The study results were recently published in the journal Advances in Nutrition. (Ad)