Nature VS Nurture: Is Obesity Genetic?

It's a known fact that obesity is one of the leading causes of the deterioration of one's physical health. Unhealthy diet and junk food are often held responsible for the disease, but recent researches have emerged that obesity, can potentially be genetic.

According to  Wed Md, health care experts revealed that difference in once genes can eventually aid weight issues. The website mentioned that if one's parents are obese, there's a big chance that the offspring would be obese as well, though genetic obesity can still be fought with diet and exercise.

It was revealed that the FTO gene is to be blamed for obesity. Scientists were able to come into conclusion that individuals with "certain differences in this gene have a 20% to 30% higher chance of obesity."

Naima Moustaid Moussa, Ph.D., director of the Obesity research Cluster at Texas Tech University stated that obesity can actually run in the family, not because it is genetically acquired but because of family's eating habits and environment. Technically speaking, it still boils down to nature VS nurture.

"Obesity is a very complex disease," Moussa explained. "And many factors can contribute to it and cause it, including genetics, behavior, and the environment."

Medical News Today then added that some people would normally opt for high-calorie food which is being linked to the FTO gene. As per the research, individuals who acquire the FTO genes has a higher risk for early obesity. It was stated that dopamine is to be held responsible for their sense of craving and reward would often come from the presence of unhealthy food.

"These findings help us better understand the biological basis of behaviors that may predispose some people to overeating high-calorie foods, and hence obesity, Leah Wingham, Ph.D. stated. "It could help us better target treatments for obesity so particular people get the most effective treatment, as individualized approaches to obesity are necessary."