Issue link: http://cp.revolio.com/i/510259
R ecent studies show that people with certain variants of the "fat mass and obesity associated" gene, or FTO gene, are more likely to become overweight. The FTO gene acts in your hypothalamus, the part of your brain that regulates appetite and satiety, and certain variants have been linked to increased energy intake, especially in the form of fat. It's estimated that about 17 percent of the U.S. population has double copies of the FTO gene linked to obesity, meaning they inherited it from both of their parents, while another 40 percent inherited a single copy. There are other gene variants linked to obesity as well, and according to researchers the more copies of the gene you have, the more likely you are to become obese … but this does NOT mean that some people are simply destined to be fat. The good news is that you can quite literally turn the effects of Exercise Can Override 'Fat Genes' Abby's Magazine - March/April 2015 | Page 7 Page 32 | Abby's Magazine - www.AbbysHealthAndNutrition.com your "fat genes" on or off, and one of the ways to negate them is as simple as getting regular exercise. Exercise Turns Off Fat Genes Remember that it is NOT your genes that dictate your health and weight but rather the expression of your genes. You have the ability to easily turn genes on and off with your lifestyle and emotional state. One such example has to do with genetic markers that may make you more prone to obesity. You can very effectively reduce the effects of these genes by increasing your physical activity. According to researchers from Great Britain's Medical Research Council in Cambridge, regular exercise reduces the genetic tendency toward obesity by 40 percent! A separate study among Amish people also found those who had the FTO gene but were very physically active weighed about the same as others who did not carry the gene. You ARE changing your genetics daily and perhaps even hourly from the foods you eat, the air you breathe, the exercise you do, and even by the thoughts you think. That you can modify your genes is the focus of a new field known as epigenetics, and it is probably the most important biological discovery since DNA. New research reveals why you can no longer use the excuse that your "genes" are making you fat … Researchers took a look at 12 genetic variants known to increase the risk of obesity, and then tracked the physical activity levels of more than 20,000 people. They determined that physical activity can reduce the genetic tendency toward obesity by 40 percent. Even being active just 30 minutes a day proved to be a good start in reducing the effects of the genes. USA Today reports: "U.S. experts say the study adds to the data on the importance of exercise for weight control. 'This is more evidence that behavior can modify genetic predisposition,' says Tim Church, director of preventive medicine research at the Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Baton Rouge."