Scientists Narrow in on Genetic Cause of Obesity
Dr. Jennnifer Caudle
ABC News
_______
It's no secret that a combination of greasy fast food and couch potatolike behavior has contributed to America's obesity epidemic.
Many scientists, however, have also wondered whether something else is involved: Could there also be a genetic explanation?
Research is showing this may indeed be the case for some people. In today's issue of the journal Science, researchers explain how they have found a variation, or "misspelling," of DNA located near a gene that normally affects fat metabolism.
"It's the first common genetic variant to be associated with obesity," said Dr. Michael Christman, a lead researcher and chair of the Department for Genetics and Genomics at Boston University.
DNA contains genetic material, or instructions, for cells throughout the body. Genes are pieces of DNA that carry out these instructions.
Researchers discovered this variation after analyzing DNA samples collected from 9,881 people over a 24-year span. They also discovered that people of different racial, ethnic and age groups who had the same misspelling had an increased risk of obesity.
Apr 13, 2006
Dr. Jennnifer Caudle
ABC News
_______
It's no secret that a combination of greasy fast food and couch potatolike behavior has contributed to America's obesity epidemic.
Many scientists, however, have also wondered whether something else is involved: Could there also be a genetic explanation?
Research is showing this may indeed be the case for some people. In today's issue of the journal Science, researchers explain how they have found a variation, or "misspelling," of DNA located near a gene that normally affects fat metabolism.
"It's the first common genetic variant to be associated with obesity," said Dr. Michael Christman, a lead researcher and chair of the Department for Genetics and Genomics at Boston University.
DNA contains genetic material, or instructions, for cells throughout the body. Genes are pieces of DNA that carry out these instructions.
Researchers discovered this variation after analyzing DNA samples collected from 9,881 people over a 24-year span. They also discovered that people of different racial, ethnic and age groups who had the same misspelling had an increased risk of obesity.
Apr 13, 2006
