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(Ivanhoe Newswire) -- If you are overweight, you probably would like to blame your genes. While scientists widely accept that there is a genetic component to your size and obesity, a new study finds physical activity is the key to offset the genetic risk of obesity.
For the study, researchers took DNA samples from 704 healthy Amish adults with an average age of 44 years old. The participants underwent a series of tests including a seven-day measurement of physical activity. Study authors say 54 percent of the men and 64 percent of the women were overweight with 10 percent of the men and 30 percent of the women being obese. Scientists then also looked at the DNA of the participants for the FTO gene. The FTO gene is the fat mass and obesity gene.
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Study authors then divided the participants into two groups based on their activity level. They looked at the association between each groups body mass index and their FTO gene. They found the change in the FTO gene was associated with body mass index only in individuals who had low physical activity.
Researchers say those that burned approximately 900 calories more did not have a higher weight even though they had a change in their FTO gene. This corresponds to about three to four hours of physical activity. Study authors say this research shows that changes in the FTO gene are associated with increased BMI and obesity, but that increased activity can reduce the weight gain associated with this gene.
SOURCE: Archives of Internal Medicine, 2008;168:1791-1797
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