Here's why obesity affects people differently

Ever wondered why some people with obesity remain relatively healthy while others develop serious conditions like diabetes and heart disease Genetic differences may be the reason according to a studyAn international team of researchers led by the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and the University of Copenhagen in Denmark analysed genetic data from 452768 people and discovered variants in 205 regions of the genome linked to higher body fat but better metabolic healthUsing these discoveries they developed a genetic risk score that adds up the impact of these variants Individuals with higher scores were more likely to develop obesity but were less likely to suffer from complications such as high blood pressure high cholesterol diabetes or heart disease This is due in part to the way fat cells behave in different peopleImportantly these protective genetic effects were already visible in children Kids carrying the protective variants were more likely to develop obesity but did not show the expected warning signs of metabolic disease revealed the study published in the journal Nature MedicineOur study shows that obesity is not a single condition it is made up of different subtypes each with its own risks said Nathalie Chami Instructor of Environmental Medicine and Artificial Intelligence and Human Health at the Icahn SchoolBy uncovering these genetic differences we can start to understand why obesity leads to different health outcomes in different individuals This could eventually change how we predict prevent and treat obesity and its complications Chami addedThe research also identified eight distinct obesity subtypes each linked to unique health risksThese insights could eventually help doctors predict which patients are most vulnerable to complications and inform new treatments that mimic the protective genetic effects found in some people said Dr ChamiThe research team cautions that the findings do not mean obesity is harmlessMost people with obesity still face health challenges and lifestyle factors such as diet and exercise remain critical for overall health said Zhe Wang Assistant Professor at the University of Alabama at BirminghamThe study was conducted in individuals from the UK Biobank comprising people of European ancestry and future work will extend to more diverse populations It leveraged this data to perform a comprehensive multitrait genomewide screenThe team wanted to find new genes that affect body fat without being linked to cardiometabolic comorbidities by analyzing three adiposity and eight cardiometabolic traits including lipid glycemic and blood pressure traitsBy revealing new biological pathways that separate obesity from related diseases the findings may pave the way for more personalised care bettertargeted therapies and earlier prevention strategies even from childhood said Ruth Loos Professor at the University of Copenhagen in DenmarkThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever