Sometimes it seems like certain people are able to lose weight easily while the rest of us have to struggle.
And you can really blame your genes (or lack thereof) if you’re struggling to lose weight, according to a new study.
Experts have discovered that the secret to losing weight could be down to a combination of 14 “skinny genes.”
Researchers at the University of Essex found that they helped people lose twice as much weight when they ran for half an hour three times a week.
The study followed 38 people in the UK, all aged between 20 and 40, who underwent a DNA test.
Experts have discovered that the secret to losing weight could be down to a combination of 14 “skinny genes.” stock image
They were instructed to follow their normal diets and lifestyle habits, not to do any other training, and were weighed before and after the study.
The team, led by Dr. Henry Chung of the School of Sports, Rehabilitation and Exercise Sciences, found that those with more genes lost more weight in eight weeks.
People with the most genetic markers lost up to 5 kg (11 pounds) during the study, and people without them lost an average of 2 kg (4.4 pounds).
The most important appeared to be the PPARGC1A gene, which encodes PGC-1-a, a protein that helps regulate metabolism.
This gene was responsible for nearly two-thirds of the weight lost and was present in the participants who lost the most weight, the researchers said.
Despite the results, Dr. Chung said lifestyle and diet factors remain vital to losing weight.
“This study highlighted some important genes associated with taking inches off your jeans, but it’s important to remember that genes won’t do anything without exercise and lifestyle changes, as they are all interrelated,” he said.
‘Without intervention, they won’t show their true potential and then it doesn’t matter what genes you have.
The study followed 38 people in the UK, all aged between 20 and 40, who underwent a DNA test. stock image
“Aside from weight loss, exercise has many benefits, ranging from mental health to cardiovascular fitness, so I would recommend everyone to keep training even if they don’t see a difference on the scale.”
The paper, published in Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport, builds on an earlier study by Dr. Chung that showed running performance was also related to genetics.
He hopes the research will allow governments, companies and individuals to better tailor health interventions.
“If we can better understand someone’s specific genetic profile, this will hopefully translate into better and more successful interventions to improve health outcomes,” he added.
The study says: ‘This study found that the change in an individual’s body mass in response to exercise is determined, to a large extent, by their specific genetic profile.
“As obesity is a growing challenge to society, a comprehensive understanding of how genes and their alleles affect the body’s responses to exercise would revolutionize the individualization and effectiveness of exercise programs.”
A previous study found that some people who tend to gain weight may also blame their genes.
Researchers found that a mutation in a single gene can make children 17kg heavier by the time they are 18 years old.
And there could be up to 200,000 people in the UK who have excess fat due to this genetic quirk, they said.
About two decades ago, scientists discovered a particular gene, melanocortin 4 receptor (MC4R), that produces a protein that sends signals to appetite sensors in the brain, indicating how much fat we have stored.
When this gene is not working properly, our brain thinks we have fewer fat reserves than we do, indicating that we are hungry and need to eat.
The University of Bristol research team found that around one in 340 people may carry a disruptive mutation in MC4R, meaning they are likely to weigh more from a young age.
These results were obtained by studying the MC4R gene in a random sample of 6,000 participants born in Bristol in 1990-91.