Chiropractors In San Diego Discover Research That Debunks The Legendary Fat Gene
A team of scientists in Britain examined three hundred people who became severely overweight at a very young age. They did this to determine whether a faulty gene was involved. Researchers were looking specifically at the gene in charge of what is known as the leptin receptor. Leptin is a hormone that controls appetite and can influence how much we feel like eating or overeating. It has been previously implicated in animal obesity research studies.
Scientists studied the obese participants to see whether this so-called obesity gene was disturbed in any which way. They discovered that only 3 percent of people had an abnormal leptin gene — indicating that leptin is probably not a factor for most obese and overweight people. And scientists in New Zealand are dispelling the widespread myth that obesity is caused by “bad genes.”
In what is referred to as a burst through discovery, scientists from Auckland University’s Liggins Institute have found that genetic pre-disposition to fatness can be reversed through good quality nutrition in early childhood. Their studies shows that when a mother is undernourished, her child’s body is pre-set to cope with a life of scarcity-the energy-dense fast food diet of the Western world results in kids who are likely to become fat and obese. This is from poor diet and nutrition.
In several laboratory tests, newborn offspring from both well-fed and undernourished rats were given leptin. This hormone signals the body when it has eaten enough. Rats from well-fed mothers reacted to leptin in the opposite way to those from undernourished mothers. When the rats became adults, the long-term effects were measured by looking at genes that regulate metabolism in the liver.
The researchers urge mothers to eat a more balanced diet. This includes the right amounts of protein and vitamins during pregnancy. It has been found though that if the fetus is undernourished in the womb, the long-term effects can still be corrected through good nutrition.
So what’s the final conclusion on all of this? Is it our genes that make us easily gain weight which leads to becoming overweight or even overweight or is it our behavior that shapes our bodies? The most likely correct answer is that it is both. You are born with a set of genes you cannot change throughout life. Some people can eat and eat and never gain even a pound. Others can’t. But as the recent research is showing, you have much more control over the final outcome than most people are willing to take credit for. No matter your genetic make-up, you can choose to eat properly and exercise. And this can keep you healthy.
Looking to find the best information on spinal decompression therapy, then visit www.BackCareTreatment.com to find the best advice on chiropractic for you.
