Obese people are 'genetically programmed to eat more'

London, June 20 : Its not the greed that makes obese people eat more than others, but a genetic flaw that drives them to consume almost 300 calories per day, a new study has found.

The study, conducted by researchers at the University of Aberdeen, showed that people who carry a variation of a gene linked to increased obesity eat more food than those without it.

For the study, researchers examined 150 people in the northeast of Scotland, aged 21 to 60, and monitored their food intake over seven days.

They also took blood samples and other measurements of physical fitness and calculated the amount of energy burned while they were resting.

Researchers found that people with the variant gene ate between 120 and 290 calories per day more than those who did not have the 'at risk' variant.

"We have found the first hard evidence linking the 'at risk' variant of the gene with increased food intake in humans," the Telegraph quoted Prof John Speakman, director of the Institute of Biological and Environmental Sciences at the University of Aberdeen, as saying.

"Our data clearly suggests that people with this variant of the FTO gene may become fatter because they are driven to consume more food.

"Because this over consumption may be driven by their genes, it may be far harder for such people to control their intake than people who do not carry 'at risk' variants of food intake control genes. Greater consumption of food does not mean that people are being greedy," he added.

ANI