Global Research Effort Leads To New Findings On Genes And Obesity

More bad news for a genetic "cure" for fatsoness.

Two major international studies looking at data from a quarter of a million people around the globe have found a new set of genes associated with body fat distribution and obesity. Researchers at 280 institutions worldwide, including Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University, conducted the studies. The research, published in the October 10 online edition of Nature Genetics, sheds light on the biological processes involved in body fat distribution, possibly leading to new ways of treating obesity.

"These studies open the door to better understanding the mechanisms that lead to the most harmful forms of obesity, which can result in heart attack, stroke and diabetes," said Robert Kaplan, Ph.D., professor of epidemiology & population health at Einstein and a co-author of the studies. "The findings provide important leads for researchers who are working to develop new medications to treat or prevent obesity."

In one study, researchers identified 13 new gene regions where variations in DNA sequence can be linked to a person's fat distribution whether they store fat around the mid-section or below the waist. In the second study, researchers found 18 new genetic variations associated with increased susceptibility to obesity. The first study included data from almost 200,000 people, while the second study included data from nearly 250,000 people. Both studies were led by researchers at Oxford University and the Medical Research Council (MRC) Epidemiology Unit in Cambridge, England.

Make that over 6031, for those keeping count.

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