Scientists have discovered rare genetic variants that can increase the risk of obesity by up to six times.
Medical Research Council researchers have identified genetic variants in two genes that have the greatest influence on obesity risk ever discovered.
Experts say that these rare variants discovered in genes (BSN and APBA1) are some of the first to be discovered to be associated with obesity, with no increase in risk observed until adulthood. has been.
Study author Professor Giles Yeo, from the MRC Metabolic Disease Unit, said the scientists had discovered two genes with variants that had the greatest impact on obesity risks. However, this variation is not associated with childhood obesity, but with onset in adulthood.
He said the findings will provide scientists with new insights into the relationship between genetics, neurodevelopment and obesity.
The researchers carried out whole-exome sequencing of the body mass index (BMI) of more than 500,000 people using data from the UK Biobank and other information sources for the study. This process is a type of genetic sequencing that is used to understand what may be causing factors or disease.
The researchers found that genetic variants in the gene BSN can increase the risk of obesity by up to six-fold, while these variants can also cause an increase in type 2 diabetes and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.
