Obesity Gene Tests May Not Hamper Weight-Loss Efforts

Genetic testing for obesity risk does not discourage people from trying to lose weight -- instead, it may help reduce how much they blame themselves for their weight problems, according to a small new study. Research has shown that genes influence a person's risk of becoming overweight and one gene, called FTO, appears to have the greatest effect. The "A" variant of the gene is associated with a greater risk of weight gain, while the "T" variant of the gene is associated with a lower risk. One in two people has at least one copy of the A variant. People with two A variants -- one from their mother and one from their father -- are 70 percent more likely to become obese than those with two T variants, according to the study authors at University College London (UCL). http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_140436.html