Obesity: Lifestyle or genetics?

There is a growing debate about whether obesity is fueled by lifestyle or simply a consequence of genetics. The truth is that genes influence all aspects of human physiology, development and adaptation. And obesity is no exception.* People with weight problems supposedly eat a lot and are lazy. But there are some cases where these obesity problems are the result of some type of genetic disorder. According to many studies, our genes play an important role in the risk of becoming overweight or obese. There are also some genes that can prevent people from realizing when they are full. So they don’t know when to stop eating. Having a healthy diet and living an active lifestyle is essential for these people to lose weight.  However, people prone to overweight often struggle to burn fat or control their appetite. Which makes it very difficult to be successful when it comes to losing those unwanted pounds. However, genetic changes are unlikely to explain the rapid spread of obesity around the world. The physical, social, political and economic environment influences how much we eat and how active we are. Environmental changes make it easier for people to overeat and make it harder for people to get enough physical activity, which plays a key role in obesity. Therefore, it is true that some people probably have some genetic predisposition to obesity. Depending on your family history and ethnicity. But moving from genetic predisposition to obesity itself usually requires some change in diet, lifestyle or other environmental factors. “Genes may co-determine who becomes obese, but our environment determines how many become obese.” You can’t blame your mother forever. Take charge of your own health! If you want more information on nutrition and health topics or require advice to lose weight, click here.