Everyone can benefit from exercise, but a new study shows that individuals with a genetic predisposition to obesity can benefit even more.
THE STUDY
- Study used a cohort of 20,430 people living in Norwich, UK
- Examined 12 different genetic variants which are known to increase the risk of obesity.
- Assessed individuals genetic susceptibility to obesity
- Assessed total physical activity of these individuals.
- Examine if a higher ‘genetic predisposition score’ was associated with a higher obesity risk
- Examined whether a physically activity lessens the genetic influence on obesity risk.
RESULTS
- Each additional obesity-susceptibility gene variant increased obesity risk by 1.1 fold
- However, physical active individuals had a 40% lower risk vs inactive people.
BOTTOM LINE
Genetic predisposition to obesity can be reduced by AN AVERAGE of 40% through increased physical activity.
CITATION
http://www.plosmedicine.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pmed.1000332