Introduction:
Rising rates of obesity seem to be a consequence of modern life, with access to
large amounts of palatable, high calorie food and limited need for physical
activity. However, this environment of plenty affects different people in
different ways. Some are able to maintain a reasonable balance between
energy input and energy expenditure. Others have a chronic imbalance that
favors energy input, which expresses itself as overweight and obesity.
What accounts for these differences between individuals?
What We Know: |
What We Don’t Know: |
Biological relatives tend
to resemble each other in many ways, including body weight. Individuals with
a family history of obesity may be predisposed to gain weight and
interventions that prevent obesity are especially important.
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Why are biological
relatives more similar in body weight? What genes are associated with
this observation? Are the same genetic associations seen in every
family? How do these genes affect energy metabolism and regulation? |
In an environment made
constant for food intake and physical activity, individuals respond
differently. Some people store more energy as fat in an environment of
excess; others lose less fat in an environment of scarcity. The
different responses are largely due to genetic variation between
individuals.
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Why are interventions
based on diet and exercise more effective for some people than others?
What are the biological differences between these high and low responders?
How do we use these insights to tailor interventions to specific needs? |
Fat stores are regulated
over long periods of time by complex systems that involve input and feedback
from fatty tissues, the brain and endocrine glands like the pancreas and the
thyroid. Overweight and obesity can result from only a very small positive energy input imbalance
over a long period of time.
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What elements of energy
regulation feedback systems are different in individuals? How do these
differences affect energy metabolism and regulation? |
Rarely, people have
mutations in single genes that result in severe obesity that starts in
infancy. Studying these individuals is providing insight into the
complex biological pathways that regulate the balance between energy input
and energy expenditure.
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Do additional
obesity syndromes exist that are caused by mutations in single genes? If so,
what are they? What are the natural history, management strategy and
outcome for affected individuals? |
Obese individuals have
genetic similarities that may shed light on the biological differences that
predispose to gain weight. This knowledge may be useful in preventing
or treating obesity in predisposed people. |
How do genetic variations
that are shared by obese people affect gene expression and function?
How do genetic variation and environmental factors interact to produce
obesity? What are the biological features associated with the tendency
to gain weight? What environmental factors are helpful in countering
these tendencies?
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Pharmaceutical companies
are using genetic approaches (pharmacogenomics) to develop new drug
strategies to treat obesity.
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Will pharmacologic
approaches benefit most people affected with obesity? Will these drugs
be accessible to most people? |
The tendency to store
energy in the form of fat is believed to result from thousands of years of evolution in
an environment characterized by tenuous food supplies. In other words,
those who could store energy in times of plenty, were more likely to survive
periods of famine and to pass this tendency to their offspring.
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How can thousands of years
of evolutionary pressure be countered? Can specific factors in
the modern environment (other than the obvious) be identified and
controlled to more effectively counter these tendencies? |
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What It Means
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For people who are
genetically predisposed to gain weight, preventing obesity is the best
course. Predisposed persons may require individualized interventions
and greater support to be successful in maintaining a healthy weight.
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Obesity is a chronic
lifelong condition that is the result of an environment of caloric abundance
and relative physical inactivity modulated by a susceptible genotype. For those who are predisposed, preventing weight gain is the best course of
action.
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Genes are not destiny. Obesity can be prevented or can be managed in many cases with a combination
of diet, physical activity, and medication.
<< Link
to the Public Health Perspective Page on Obesity
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