EON

New York – A U.S. study has found you can fight your genes. People with a mutated gene that predisposes them to obesity can reduce the risk with exercise, according to a study that appeared in the Archives of Internal Medicine on Sept 8.

The study group included 704 healthy Amish adults. About 53 percent were men, 10 percent of whom were obese. Of the 64 percent who were women, about 31 percent were obese. Their average age was 44 years.

Led by Evadnie Rampersaud, MSPH, Ph.D, scientists from the University of Maryland, School of Medicine tested the DNA of the subjects and conducted physiological tests to measure their fitness and physical activity levels.

Like earlier studies, the Maryland study found that people with certain mutations of the fat mass and obesity associated (FTO) gene were more likely to be obese or overweight. This study also found that the mutations had the strongest effect in people with low physical activity scores. People with above-average scores saw no effect at all.

In order to combat the FTO gene participants needed 3 to 4 hours of moderate to brisk physical activity a day. This can burn up to 900 extra calories.

According to the background information cited by the study more than 50 percent Caucasians of European ancestry carry variations of the FTO gene. More research must be done before researchers can know if Asians, African-Americans and Hispanics are similarly affected.