A team of scientists in Britain examined three hundred people who became severely overweight at a very young age. They did this to determine whether a faulty gene was involved. Researchers were looking specifically at the gene in charge of what is known as the leptin receptor. Leptin is a hormone that controls appetite and can influence how much we feel like eating or overeating. It has been previously implicated in animal obesity research studies.
Scientists examined the obese study participants to see whether this so-called obesity gene was disturbed in any way. They found that only 3 percent of people had an abnormal leptin gene — indicating that leptin is probably not a factor for most obese people. And scientists in New Zealand are dispelling the common myth that obesity is caused by “bad genes.”
In what is referred to as a burst through discovery, scientists from Auckland University’s Liggins Institute have found that genetic pre-disposition to fatness can be reversed through good quality nutrition in early childhood. Their studies shows that when a mother is undernourished, her child’s body is pre-set to cope with a life of scarcity-the energy-dense fast food diet of the Western world results in kids who are likely to become fat and obese. This is from poor diet and nutrition.
In laboratory tests, newborn offspring from both well-fed and undernourished rats were given leptin, a hormone that signals to the body when it has eaten enough. When they became adults, the long-term effects were measured by looking at genes that regulate metabolism in the liver. Rats from well-fed mothers reacted to leptin in the opposite way to those from undernourished mothers.
The researchers urge mothers to eat a more balanced diet (with the right amounts of protein and vitamins) during pregnancy. However, if the fetus is undernourished in the womb, the long-term effects can still be corrected through good nutrition.
So what’s the final word on all this? Is it our genes that make us easily gain weight which leads to becoming overweight or even obese or is it our behavior that shapes (and sculpts) our bodies? The most likely correct answer is: BOTH. You are born with a set of genes you cannot change. Some people can eat and eat and never gain a pound. Others can’t. But as the recent research is showing – you have much more control over the final outcome than most people are willing to take credit for. No matter your genetic make-up, you can choose to eat properly and exercise.
Want to find out more about nutrition, then visit New Century Spine Centers site on how to choose the best chiropractor for your needs.
