Obesity: Genetically Informative Essay

Obesity

Obesity has affected the lives of many people across the United States and all over the world. Obese people should start to work toward a healthier lifestyle. This is important not only for them to look better and feel better about themselves but more importantly for their own health.

There are many factors that play a role in obesity but one of the main possible causes is that it can be genetically inherited. There have been many studies done to see if obesity is hereditary. By using twin studies, the investigators found that the chance of obesity being inherited is between 70 and 80 percent (Friedman). They also found that twins who are adopted resemble the weight of their biological parents more than their parents who’ve adopted

them. (Friedman). There is a gene that codes for leptin, which is a hormone that stops us from eating when we’re full. If this gene becomes mutated, it can cause a person to become obese because they can no longer recognize when they have eaten too much. People who have a genetic predisposition to be obese are at a disadvantage but there are many other factors that must be present to cause obesity. Although you cannot control or change your genes, there is a solution for you if you are obese. Many surgeries have been invented to help people with a body mass index over 40. One of your options is to have laproscopic band surgery, which involves the wrapping of a silicon band around the stomach (Berl). You could also have a sleeve gastrectomy, which involves removing 70 percent of the stomach and rolling it into a sleeve (Berl). Surgery is only successful if the individuals adopt a healthy lifestyle and change their bad habits.
Obesity can also be caused by a lack of exercise. Every day a person should be exercising for 30 to 60 minutes. A lack of exercise and sedentary behavior can increase the fat mass of any individual. Many studies have been done to see if bed rest is detrimental to a person’s health. These studies found that bed rest for 3-10 days causes changes in the mRNA of leg muscles and insulin sensitivity (Thyfault). These changes can set the stage for obesity and many other health problems. One solution to this is to get out and be active for the recommended 30-60 minutes every day. There are many exercise programs out there for overweight people who want to lose weight. The Biggest Loser is an example of a show with personal trainers who help overweight people workout and adopt a healthy lifestyle. Even just exercising for an hour everyday can help those who are obese lose some of the extra calories and help them slim down to a healthy weight.
Poor diet can also be a cause of obesity. Not only does a healthy weight depend on a healthy diet, it also relies on portion control. Many obese people often participate in binge eating which is very unhealthy and causes them to consume too many extra calories. A study was done on 179 obese adults. These adults were given portion-controlled meals and they all lost a significant amount of weight. “A weight management intervention using PCMs resulted in both clinically significant weight loss and increased diet quality scores” (Ptomey). One solution to help obese people stop overeating is for them to portion out their meals just as stated in the previous study. They should also make healthier choices such as eating more fruits and vegetables.
Obesity is very dangerous to a person’s health. Whether it’s eating healthier, having surgery or getting a personal trainer, all people who are overweight should try to adopt a healthier lifestyle.