Is Obesity Genetics or Environmental?

Obesity: What is it?

A person is considered obese if their body fat percentage is excessive for their height and/or weight. The body mass index, or BMI, determines this number. Although a person is considered overweight if their BMI is between 25 and 29.9, they are only considered regarded their BMI to be 30 or higher. According to recent CDC data, up to 42.4% of American adults are today considered obese.

The majority of people are aware that obesity can seriously affect their health. Heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and some types of cancer are among the illnesses linked to obesity. As a result, obesity is considered a primary cause of premature death in the U.S.

Obesity due to genetics:

Approximately 40% of obesity is thought to be genetically determined, even though there are numerous other contributing variables. Although just a small number of these are believed to have a major impact, over 400 distinct genes have been identified as contributing to being overweight or obese.

Genes can affect obesity in several ways, including:

• Impacting your feeling of fullness and appetite.
• The speed at which your metabolism functions.
• Food desires that you might encounter
• Your distribution of body fat
• Your propensity to be an emotional eater, such as consuming food to relieve stress or boredom

There are various types of genetic obesity according to the role of genes:

• Obesity induced by a single gene mutation is known as monogenic obesity. The most often impacted gene linked to obesity is MC4R.
• Polygenic obesity: Small changes in several genes increase the risk of developing obesity. The most prevalent type of hereditary obesity is polygenic obesity.
• Syndromic obesity: Obesity can be directly caused by genetic alterations in certain disorders, such as Prader-Willi syndrome.

So, is your obesity a result of genetics?

It is believed that genes have a significant role in excess weight and may be the cause of your obesity if you:

• For most of their lives, they have been overweight.
• Possess parents or other family members who are noticeably overweight. According to a study, you have an 80% higher chance of being obese yourself if both of your parents are obese.
• Find it difficult or impossible to lose weight, even after a long period of following a low-calorie, high-exercise diet.

What are the environmental elements that contribute to obesity?

About 60% of obesity cases are thought to be caused by environmental variables, which are things that are within your control and that surround you. Everybody is affected differently by each of these elements, though. While one person’s diet may be the only factor contributing to their weight increase, another will discover that their level of physical activity has the greatest impact on their capacity to maintain or reduce their weight.

The following are some of the most prevalent environmental factors that influence obesity:

• The kinds of meals you consume
• When you consume
• Portion proportions and management
• Consumption of fruits and vegetables
• Sugar dependence
• Levels of physical activity
• Your position
• Your sleeping habits
• The things you do for a living

Your weight may be directly impacted by all of these controllable factors and more. For instance, your portion sizes may be simply too large if you follow a generally healthy diet but aren’t losing weight. In this scenario, reducing portion sizes could be the first step towards weight loss.

Environmental factors may be the main cause of your obesity if you:

Are mostly motivated by the urge to eat and the availability of food.
When you eat well and exercise, you can lose a little weight, but you find it difficult to stay motivated to keep up the effort.
Lack of sleep causes you to seek quick, high-energy items like chips or chocolate that are high in carbohydrates.
Holiday seasons cause fluctuations in your weight.
Food occupies a large portion of your thoughts.

Fortunately, some treatments can help you regulate your weight so that you can live a long, happy, and fulfilling life, regardless of whether your obesity is due to environmental or genetic reasons. Please get in touch with our surgical team right now to learn more.

How do environmental and genetic variables contribute to obesity?

The majority of obese persons accumulate excess fat due to a combination of environmental and hereditary factors.

Genetics can enhance your susceptibility to gaining excess weight in certain situations, while environmental variables set the setting for lifestyle choices that encourage obesity.

However, the relationship might be bi-directional, meaning it reciprocates. Environmental variables can influence genetics through epigenetic modifications, or shifts in gene expression, just as genetics can amplify the impact of environmental influences.

For instance, studies show that environmental variables such as a sedentary lifestyle, poor sleep, and a high consumption of fried foods can alter epigenetics and contribute to obesity.

Your intestinal microbiota can be changed by exposure to endocrine disruptors, which are substances that interfere with hormone signaling in your body. These alterations have also been connected to variations in genetic expression.

Obesity treatment options:

Although treating obesity can be difficult, it usually begins with lifestyle modifications that include calorie restriction, greater physical activity, and balanced nutrition.

Reducing calorie intake and increasing calorie expenditure are not enough to treat obesity for many people. Losing weight can be very challenging if environmental factors like stress, sleep patterns, and SDOH are difficult to address.

Energy balancing is just one component of many obesity treatment programs.

• behavioral techniques,
• medication,
• surgery, and dietary counseling
• support groups
• psychotherapy

Is it possible to treat genetic obesity?

Even in cases where genetics play a major influence, obesity is frequently treatable. A team of medical specialists, including pediatricians, endocrinologists, obstetricians, nutritionists, geneticists, genetic counselors, and psychologists, may be necessary for successful care.

Under the direction of these professionals, the cornerstone of treating genetic obesity consists of lifestyle changes, drugs, and surgery. How heredity affects your body fat accumulation will determine your plan.

Multiple strategies can be used to treat hereditary obesity, such as:

Treatment of the underlying illness may alleviate the symptoms of obesity if you suffer from syndromic obesity.

An endocrinologist may recommend specific lifestyle modifications, particularly about what you put on and in your body if you suffer from obesity brought on by exposure to endocrine disruptors.

Childhood lifestyle modifications may improve adult health outcomes when genetic obesity is monogenetic and inherited.

How Can I Keep My Weight in Check?

A smart place to start is by realizing that your risk for obesity can be influenced by several things. You can then attempt to alter your lifestyle in a way that will positively affect your health and well-being. Take into account the following advice:

Consult your healthcare professional. You and your partner can talk about your weight, potential contributing causes, and how to keep it within a healthy range.

Make dietary adjustments that are beneficial. Your body stores excess calories as fat if you take in more than you burn off. Find out what nutrients you require and where you can make minor, healthful adjustments.

Get going. Adults should engage in moderate-intensity physical exercise for at least 150 minutes per week, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Think about finding a basic yoga routine to perform at home, taking a new fitness class, or adding an evening walk as additional ways to remain active every day.

Make sure you get enough rest. Sleep deprivation increases the risk of weight gain, according to research.

Recognize the effects on your health. Knowing how important it is to maintain a healthy weight in your general health might be beneficial. For instance, postmenopausal breast, colorectal, endometrial, kidney, esophageal, pancreatic, liver, and gallbladder cancers are among the major cancers for which obesity is a risk factor. This kind of information might serve as a helpful motivation when you’re having trouble changing for the better.

Look after your mental and emotional well-being. Many people’s ability to control their weight is influenced by their emotions. For instance, a lot of people eat when they’re nervous or stressed. Others who are depressed might find it challenging to exercise. Find out more about the Whole Health Approach to health care offered by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) if these kinds of circumstances are contributing to your difficulties managing your weight. This method focuses your care on the things that are most important to you and your health.

Think about what you will do next. Everybody has different needs when it comes to managing their weight. See your doctor if you’ve tried changing your lifestyle and are still having problems. You can talk about your next course of action together, which might involve choices like surgery or weight loss drugs.

Summary

Genetic, environmental, or both factors may contribute to obesity. However, weight increase is not necessarily a result of possessing genes linked to obesity.

Obesity in the majority of people can be linked to underlying genetic characteristics that raise the risk of weight gain in specific situations. Additionally, the relationship can go the other way: environmental variables can change how your genes function, which in turn affects how much fat your body accumulates.

Treatments for obesity of any kind include medication, surgery, and lifestyle modifications. Additional specialists, such as a geneticist, might join your medical team when genetics plays a big role.

FAQs

References

• Gillette, H. (2024, February 22). Is obesity genetic or environmental? Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/health/obesity/is-obesity-genetic-or-environmental#summary
• Rice, R., & Rice, R. (2024, November 22). Obesity: genetics, environment, or both? – Healthy homefront. Healthy Homefront -. https://healthyhomefront.com/stay-well/obesity-genetics-environment-or-both/
• Obesity | Genetic obesity | Environmental obesity | BMI. (n.d.). https://www.laparoscopicsurgeons.com/blog/is-obesity-genetic-or-environmental.html