A new research study shows that genes play a very important role in childhood obesity besides the hereditary factor, according to Science Daily.
Previous studies have showed heritability accounts for 50 percent of childhood obesity. Thrity-two genes were found to be responsible for obesity. But according to previous studies none of these genes alone could cause heritability obesity and together they account for only 2 percent of childhood obesity. Therefore, previous studies are said to have an error of "missing heritability."
Researchers used a new technique to examine the childhood obesity through genetic heritability. The new technique is called Genome-wide Complex Trait Analysis (GCTA) which uses the information of some people who are genetically identical in order to see if the similarity in genes will result in similar weight.
Researchers used data of a group including 2,269 children aged between 8 and 11 years old who were genetically identical. Researchers used this information to identify if the similarity in genes would result in similar weight. Through the GCTA method, researchers found that multiple genes together account for 30% of the body weight difference of children, according to Science Daily report.
Dr. Clare Llewellyn from UCL Health Behavior Research Centre and lead author of the study said the findings could be very useful in determining body weight in children. "At present only a few genetic variants have been discovered, and these explain a very small amount of individual differences in body weight (around 2 percent). These findings suggest there are hundreds of other genetic variants influencing body weight that are yet to be discovered."
Researchers conclude by saying that the research could be a stepping stone to further study the importance of genes in childhood obesity.
The findings of the study are published in the International Journal of Obesity.
