Is There a Master Switch in the Body for Obesity?
A recent study of more than 6,000 subjects show that in some cases, obesity may be genetic. In the study conducted by Kings College in London, England, lead by scientist Tim Spector found what they believe to be a master switch for obesity in humans.
In a report in the journal Nature Genetics, Scientists have found that a gene called KLF14 (Krueppel-like factor 4) linked to diabetes and cholesterol is a “master switch” that controls other genes found in fat in the body.
What is Metabolism
What is metabolism? Metabolism is the chemical reaction that takes place in the human body and changes the food from its chemical components into energy to help the body function. A person with a high metabolism is able to convert food to energy more efficiently, and is able to maintain or lose weight. On the contrary, overweight people tend to have a slow metabolism, and the chemical components that are not converted into energy are stored in the body as fat.
Is KLF14 the Master Switch for Obesity?
Scientists identified a gene called KLF14 as being linked to Type 2 Diabetes and cholesterol levels. This study helps researchers understand the role it plays in the genome.
Spector’s team analyzed more than 20,000 genes in fat samples taken from under the skin of 800 British female twin volunteers. They found a link between the KLF14 gene and the levels of many other distant genes found in fat tissue, showing that this gene acts as a master switch to control these genes. That means this gene can help the body burn more fat for energy, especially in people with obesity.
The findings of the study on the KLF14 gene were confirmed by testing 600 test subjects in Iceland.
There are several metabolic diseases that can occur, due to the inability of the body to metabolize food properly. This can include diabetes, heart disease, and obesity. In men, heart disease, diabetes or obesity can contribute to other conditions, such as erectile dysfunction and prostate problems.
What does KLF14 Gene Mean for People with obesity?
While identifying a gene that may control obesity in people, this will not mean that people can have unhealthy eating habits and not gain weight. Eating a healthy diet high in proteins, fruits, vegetables and antioxidants and getting exercise and critical for good health. Rather, the hope is it would eventually allow scientists to identify people who are likely to develop obesity and design a healthy eating plan or treatment for people predisposed to obesity to help speed up their metabolism to efficiently turn food into energy and not fat.
How to Defeat Obesity?
Obesity is due to overeating, eating unhealthy food loaded with trans fats and sugar, emotional eating, and lack of exercise. While the KLF14 gene is a good indicator of obesity, turning this gene on or off is not the answer to people with obesity. Like alcoholics, certain genes will make people more susceptible to becoming an alcoholic, so they know to limit or stay away from alcohol altogether. The KLF14 gene will help identify people who are likely to develop obesity if they eat an unhealthy diet and do not exercise.
This will allow doctors to help people with this gene plan a healthy diet and exercise plan to prevent obesity and increase metabolism to burn food and sugar more efficiently.
To Your Health!
Ken
Source:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20110515/lf_nm_life/us_obesity_genes
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/gene/136259
http://healthland.time.com/2011/05/18/study-how-a-fat-gene-affects-cholesterol-and-diabetes/
http://www.nature.com/ng/journal/vaop/ncurrent/abs/ng.833.html
