Genes identified that increase the risk of obesity but also protect against disease

[Northerner]

People living with obesity tend to have unhealthy glucose and lipid levels in their blood, as well as high blood pressure. As a result, they are more at risk of cardiovascular and metabolic diseases. But scientists have observed that up to 45% of people living with obesity have healthy blood pressure and glucose and lipid levels, and therefore may not be at high risk of disease. The reason why this group of people with obesity remain healthy, has been poorly understood.

But now a team of researchers -- led by scientists at the University of Copenhagen and Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York -- have identified a range of genes that are linked to both elevated levels of body fat, as well as offering protection from some of the negative health impacts of obesity. The results were published in the journal Nature Metabolism.

Genes identified that increase the risk of obesity but also protect against disease

Scientists have identified 62 genes that lead to both higher levels of body fat but a lower risk of cardiovascular and metabolic diseases. These genes may help to keep body fat healthy, and open a new avenue for developing drugs that lower the risk of diabetes and heart disease.

www.sciencedaily.com

 

[trophywench]

Well if genes told us what really will happen with our health I'd be at least half dead of cancer by now.

 

[trophywench]

Mind you - all this fat shaming business has A Lot to answer for. When I was a kid one couple my parents knew cos they went to the same dances really amused me - cos she was a 'larger' lady and he was both shorter and 'wiry'. My dad used to say he loved dancing with her cos despite her girth, she was very light on her feet. Have to say he was a good dancer too - and patient enough to ask either me or my sister to dance, and teach us eg the Square Tango or the Boston Twostep, Lilac Waltz etc! (Old Time rather than Modern Sequence ballroom dancing)