Feb. 3, 2010 — Missing genes may be behind at least some cases of morbid or
extreme obesity, according to a new study.

Researchers found that a small but significant portion of morbidly obese
people are missing a section of their DNA that may contribute to their
obesity.
The results suggest around seven in every 1,000 morbidly obese people are
missing this section of their DNA, which contains about 30 genes. This genetic
variation was not found in any people of normal weight.
“Although the recent rise in obesity in the developed world is down to an
unhealthy environment, with an abundance of unhealthy food and many people
taking very little exercise, the difference in the way people respond to this
environment is often genetic,” says researcher Philippe Froguel, of the School
of Public Health at Imperial College London, in a news release.
Overall, researchers say about one in 20 cases of morbidly obese people is
caused by genetics, including previously …
Read the whole story on WebMD.

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