by Kim Sharpe

Created on: July 13, 2008

It has not been proven that obesity is genetic. No gene has been isolated yet. But there is a strong indiction that it is genetic. The most likely answer is that its a combination of things. Genes and environment working in unison to create an obese person.

Several studies have been done involving twins and the results are a strong indication that obesity truly is genetic. In the various studies it was found that about fifty percent of twins both end up being obese.

In the use obesity is truly becoming an epidemic. Over sixty million people in the United States are obese. It is estimated that if your parents are obese then you stand a thirty percent chance of suffering from the same infliction. More then likely the high percent rate for obesity running in families is not only genetic factors but also and indiction of poor eating habits that see to afflict families. As children we learn what to eat from our parents. If the parents do not eat healthy and are obese then the children learn the same bad habits of food consumption.

It also seems that in the United States more people tend to eat diets higher in fat and extreme sugar consumption. They also tend to exersize far less in this country then in any other.

There are also strong indicators that if a person has a genetic predisposition towards obesity then they will also have genetic difficulty loosing weight. Some people can simply cut back calorie consumption and exersize a bit more and the weight will drop off easily but others seem to eat very little and exersize with virtually no luck when it comes to losing weight. The experts believe this might have something to do with genes also. It is believed that those who have difficulty loosing weight might also have inherited genes that others don't carry.

Obesity is a serious health risk in todays society. The obese of the world suffer from far more chronic diseases. They face heart disease, strokes, diabetes, high blood pressure, and it is believed that even some forms of cancer arise due to obesity.

In the long run all we can do is eat and live as healthy as we can despite the hand that might have been dealt us by our genes. Some of use will have a harder time battling the weight then others but all we can do is the best that we can. We can all eat right, exersize, and be happy with the bodies that genetics have given us.

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