Obesity

Genetics of Obesity

Obesity can be a complicating disorder which results from the interactions involved in a wide variety of hereditary and environmental factors. Polymorphisms in various genes controlling appetite and metabolism make susceptible to obesity under certain dietary conditions. The melanocortin 4 receptor gene mutation may be responsible for tens of thousands of cases of obesity. Monogenic type of genetic mutation is mainly responsible for severe forms of obesity that run in families. Occurrences of monogenic kinds of overweight are evidence that obesity may be caused by genetic mutations are mainly responsible for the occurrence of monogenic kinds of overweight. The most common forms of obesity are probably the result of variations in a large number of genes. A person is more expected to develop obesity if one or both parents are obese. Genetics also affect hormones involved in fat regulation. For example, the deficiency of leptin which is one the genetic cause of obesity.Leptin is a hormone formed in fat cells and in the placenta. Leptin controls weight by signalling the brain to eat fewer when body fat stores are too high. If, for some reason, the body cannot produce enough leptin or leptin cannot signal the brain to eat less, this mechanism is lost, and obesity occurs. The role of leptin replacement as a treatment for obesity is under study.