Her team also found two genes in women that seem to impact WHR. One of them, SHC1, has been found in fat tissue and specifically interacts with 17 proteins that are known to exist in obese people, and this new study is the first to link it specifically to visceral fat. Prior research has identified 14 genetic variants that influence WHR; the five that Dr. Taylor and colleagues uncovered increase that total.
What it means: “Even adding up the influence of all of the genes uncovered thus far, they only account for a small fraction of the genes that are suspected to influence this trait,” Dr. Taylor says. In other words, don't be surprised when science idenitifies more genes like these. The end result could be doctors' ability to pinpoint a person’s predisposition to excess abdominal fat, and come up with personalized treatment options.
The bottom line: “It's all about susceptibility,” Dr. Taylor says. “Genes can increase a person's susceptibility to obesity, but individuals can take action to reduce their risk.” You may have the genes for obesity, she says, but being obese doesn't have to be your fate if you continue to eat well and exercise.
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