Genetic obesity

[flower 2]

Just to throw this out there but how many people believe there is a genetic link to obesity something in our bodies just doesn't work right because no matter how much we lost in the past we always put it back. I really feel that it is genetically linked let me know how you feel

[youknowit 11]

There is a lot of research that is coming along on this topic... My doctor (PCP) is convinced this one of the primary components with many obese people. He told me this, which made me feel better (in a weird way): "Your mom is super morbidly obese, your dad is obese, your brother is obese. Many of your family members have or have had diabetes. Many of them have been sick with this disease for generations. You're nothing special in this regard, but we have to fight this." So, that's that. I know I could/should/would do better, but it's never enough. For some it is environmental, some behavioral, some genetic. And then there's some of us, where it's all three... that's me.

[Jachut 487]

Definitely - although not necessarily direct. I think your personal temperament, metabolism levels, outlook and even propensity to become addicted to things is either genetic or at the very least influenced by your environment when growing up.

I look at my husband's parents, his sister, my husband and my eldest son. They are the laziest creatures on the face of the planet, I swear! They are incredibly dedicated hard workers when it comes to work and study, but as far as getting off their asses and actually moving a muscle, forget it. Doug's mum and dad sit in their chairs ALL day and listen to the radio and read the paper, they get excited about their once a day trip to buy Beans for dinner or something pathetic like that. Dougs sister (when we go on holidays with them) sits in a chair all day, moving only to go and have a nap, Doug spends all his free time on his ample bottom and moving my son of the computer or away from the telly is a major undertaking. Only my husband is overweight, his parents and his sister arent and my son isnt only because I ration sedentary activities strictly and also wont let him eat much of the wrong foods.

On the other hand I'm usually running round like a blue arsed fly, as is my second son who is always out on his bike, playing cricket or kicking the footy on the road or jumping on the trampoline. I'm fat because I eat too much but when we bought a pedometer with a mind to doing the 10,000 steps program (is this peculiar to Australia? Its an aim of doing 10,000 steps a day with the point being that's enough incidental exercise to keep you pretty healthy), I did 25,000 steps in one day and Doug did 600. Boy did I laugh!

Its just interesting to see that Doug's entire side of the family are very thrify with physical movement, they just are naturally slow and sedentary creatures.

[CandySmooch 0]

It defianltey plays a factor. On my father's side - his mother was obese as well as his brothers and sisters - 2 of 3 step-sisters are obese as well as I am. Heart attacks also run on my father's size at young ages due to obesity. So its definately hereidarty. My mom always told me growing up that I had 1/2 of her "skinny" genes to try to encourage my weight loss - when I would lose - I always gained plus some more back. My mom is a small size 10 and has been her entire life where my dad weighed over 350 at his death at age 54. His father died from a heart attack at age 59 and I was truckin right along to join them if I didn't do something drastic - so here I am - banded!

[flower 2]

Yah this is no way out unless diet the rest of your life starvin or surgery here we are

[Alexandra 55]

I definitely believe there is a genetic component. It's the only way to explain the seeming contradictions in the way different people metabolize calories. In my own family, there are isolated instances of obesity (my grandmother, an aunt, myself) but other people in the family have always been normal. This says "genetic component" to me in the same way that different-colored eyes would.

We enter this world with a certain set of characteristics. A tendency toward obesity would definitely seem to be one of them. That's not to say it's the only reason for it, but there is no question in my mind that it plays a part in many people.

[giveyouthemoon 4]

I grew up knowing really only my mom's side of the family. There is some obesity there and some not so. So my mom always blamed me for my size. Accused me of being lazy, both mentally and physically (she's been heavy most of her own life as well). My dad wasn't heavy, very small and lean so he also blamed me fully for my appearance, and not in a nice way.

Well....this year my dad passed and I went on a trip to see my dad's family and to get to know them. I had an epiphany. As I sat there looking around this "family reunion" I realized I was one of the SMALLER people in the room.

And I realized "hey! This genetic thing is true!"

Now....I do take responsibility for letting myself get to this point...but....I am also fighting against my own genetics.

God bless my little band.

[itsyvonne 0]

Yes. My 7 year old daughter has been in the 95th percentile for weight since she was a couple of months old. That alone was enough to convince me...I mean, how much can environment play a factor at that age?!? She has stayed consistently about the same level of "overweightness" since then, as well (i.e., let's say she is about 10% over "ideal" weight ... she has remained that same 10%, give or take a few percentage points, since she was a baby).

Last summer, she "thinned down" a little...she's on the lower end of where she has been right now. I think her activity level was the main thing that changed. She started doing Karate 3 days a week during the summer. She has always been fairly active, though. She simply has a HUGE appetite. We serve healthy foods, we don't keep junk food in the house. We allow HER to decide how much she wants to eat of the foods that are offered at meals (except for dessert--only one serving of dessert for everyone.

People may think that I should be trying to control her portions, but we are following Ellyn Satter's philosophy of not controlling that. We read her book, "[ame=http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0967118913/qid=1130336502/sr=1-3/ref=sr_1_3/102-3504333-1237711?v=glance&s=books]Your Child's Weight: Helping without Harming[/ame]," and it was very enlightening and we learned that we need to "let go" of certain things or we will be setting her up for eating disorders and obesity.

-Yvonne

[Vera 7]

My mom was huge! I don't remember much cause she died of breast cancer when I was 3, but I remember she was big. My sisters are obese and we also lost one to breast cancer. I'm the youngest of 7 true and 8 steps sisters and brothers. My aunts and uncles are obese. I've always compared my health to theres, genetics was so obvious.

I still have to fight to be thin and thank my band for not letting me have a bottom-less pit!

I won't even get into the family get-together food spreads...

Yvonne, I have an 8 year old daughter that sound simular to yours. I refuse to use the word "diet" in my house, food (diet) is a way of life. I take her shopping and we cook together while I try to explain the healthy foods vrs. junk.

[vinesqueen 2]

I have a blurry pix of my Great-Grandmother, my dad's dad's mother. I am built exactly like her! I'm mostly built like my mother, except sh'e a B cup and I'm atleast a G cup, but apple body type to the core. (a large apple has about 110 calories)

Two of my mom's aunts were MO while her mother and other aunt were not. Both of my Dad's sisters are MO, one batch of cousins is MO, one batch of nieces are MO & technically obese. My son is obese and his father was always on the "fat boy" program in the Navy. (maybe it's spelled "fat buoy"?) And of course, my DH is Super obese, and his sisters and father are all MO, while his mom is merely obese. Most of his relatives are at least Obese as well.

My family are all very ... dense. We have more muscle mass than most people, especially for women.

[Wheetsin 714]

I think it's a good debate. I was pre-med when I first started in college and had an emphasis in genetics. I dropped the pre-med but followed the genetics for four years. I've read a TON of literature and research about this, but it has been a good 10 years ago.

This is all just MHO...

I think in a case like this it will be very hard to prove genetics over behavior. Having obese parents and grandparents doesn't prove that obesity is genetic. Obese parents obviously don't have great eating habits, and children model themselves after their parents early in life when physiological habits are forming... but it's also a lifelong activity, and anyone around you can influence it. So basically -- having obese parents might mean you inherited a genetic disposition, but it could just as easily mean "monkey see, monkey do." There are obvious genetic factors (e.g. everyone has a different metabolism, some people are born without stomachs, etc.) but that's a small shadow when compared to eating and mobility habits.

Losing the weight and always gaining it back doesn't point to genetic factors, either. That one is almost completely behavioral. Now - if someone lost the weight, and CONTINUED with the exact same lifestyle that caused the weight loss: eating, exercise, whatever - and STILL gained the weight back -- there's a good chance for something medical to be going on. But most of the time we gain our weight back because we revert to old habits, even if we aren't consciously aware of it.

A lot of people hope and long for discovery of a fat gene because it absolves them of responsibility. I'm not directing this at anyone here, it's meant completely in general. If anything it's geared more toward the people who don't do anything about their weight. Few people who are obese want to say, "It's because I..." when it's so much easier and feels so much safer to say "It's because they..." "It's not my fault" will always be a safer place then, "I shoved in too many Ho-Hos".

[adorkbl 156]

I am not sure. Part of me wants to say yes because my entire family is MO and so am I. The other part of me recognizes that I learned all my behaviors FROM my family, so chances are it is largely behavioral.

I DO know I have PCOS and that IS a contributing factor to my weight. I also know that I have had this weight issue long before PCOS ever came into the picture.

I do think genetics may play a small part, but I think overall if you modify the behavior permanently, you should see a permanent change in your weight. Right now my behavior is modified and my weight is dropping off. If I go back to my old habits of overeating and not working out, I am sure I will go back to my old weight. Genetics doesn't have much to do with that other than perhaps effecting the rate at which I lose or gain, or the diseases I am at risk of developing if I stay MO.

[cissy 0]

I think so too. My mom was MO until she lost weight about 15 years ago when I was a teenager. My dad is big & tall. My grandmother (mom's mom) has been heavy for as long as I can remember. 2 out of 4 of my mom's sisters are overweight (the 2 youngest ones don't have a weight problem- I think they get their body type from my granddaddy, their dad, he was tall and skinny- not thin, but skinny).

[vinesqueen 2]

well I think some behaviors are genetic. My older brother never met his biologicical father, but my mother says his manerisms are the same. Our own DeLovely DeLarla discovered that she has the same exact manerisms as her father, whom she's only recently met.

Also, modern humans have evolved with this ability to store fat to stave off starvation during famine, flood and winters.

[Jachut 487]

On the side of environment though - I'm the only obese person in my family. My youngest sister and my mum have had battles with their weight at times but within 10kg over ideal weight, more of a vanity thing than a health thing.

And my obesity, which results in LARGE part from just being too busy, too stressed and having too much to think about to make good food chocies, affects my family because the food choices I make for myself, I generally make for them too. If I want takeway because I'm too busy/cant be bothered to cook, they all get it.

My DH is overweight too and was as a teen, lost about 30kg and kept it off for years until he met me, we got married and I would freely admit, I have fattened him up over the years, since he eats what I buy and what I put before him.

So I'd say its definitely both. A genetic propensity for becoming obese doesnt mean its inevitable.