LONDON – Reinforcing the understanding that weight gain is not just a result of lifestyle, scientists have identified 13 genes that increase a person’s risk of obesity, including five that have been discovered for the first time.
The landmark study, published in the journal Nature Communications, analyzed the genetic data of 850,000 people with ancestry from six different continents. Obesity is a critical global health issue that significantly increases the risk of severe conditions such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and osteoarthritis.
While eight of the 13 identified genes had been linked to obesity in previous studies, this new research identified five genes for the first time. They are: YLPM1, RIF1, GIGYF1, SLC5A3, and GRM7.
Researchers emphasized the importance of the study’s global diversity. They stated that these findings could help in the development of effective medicines that are relevant worldwide, something that might not be possible from studies based on only a single population group.
