Genetic Obesity vs. Healthy
Lifestyle Factors
We know that some people are genetically predisposed to risk
factors for heart disease, diabetes and obesity. These problems do
tend to run in families. But so do learned environmental factors
like dietary habits and lifestyle choices.
Our genetic makeup affects an extensive range of chemical
functions in our body and may affect your weight in various ways
including your metabolism, hormones and body fat disposition.
But the precise affect of our genes on weight and weigh gain is
difficult to determine. For example, our eating habits and
lifestyle factors are largely conditioned by family environment. So
even though a child with two overweight parents is estimated to
have a 70 percent chance of growing up overweight, this may be due
to the family environment rather than genetic influence.
So the question we all ask ourselves is to what extent does a genetic obesity predisposition
amount to an inescapable destiny of being overweight?
Researchers looked at three populations traditionally at high
risk for diabetes and obesity to identify and track specific risk
factors in the NON-diabetic family members.
What they found was really encouraging.
Among both black and Hispanic folks living traditionally
sedentary lifestyles in big cities, the non-diabetic family members
did indeed show many of the same dangerous health markers as their
diabetic relatives.
But in the third group - rural Hispanics with a physically
active healthy lifestyle -
the occurrence of the risk factors in the non-diabetic family
members was much reduced, IN SPITE OF their high-risk family
histories.
The study shows that a genetic obesity predisposition
to disease isn't a sentence. Being dealt a bad hand is just more
reason for vigilance in making smart healthy lifestyle choices
that can keep you healthy.
With that said, people shouldn't assume that they're genetically
precluded from ever being thin and healthy. You might not be born
with it, but you can discover new behaviors and adjust.
Nowadays, we have all sorts of ways to overcome our genetics. We
take medications, we dye our hair, and we even wear colored contact
lenses! The exercise plan that got your best friend may not work
for you, but something will.
So if you're one of those with the bad hand, don't give up! A
dietary and weight management program could be tailored to address
your very specific needs in order to get and keep your weight in
check. Because getting dealt a bad hand doesn't doom you to losing
the game - it just means you need a different strategy for winning
it.
If you've seriously tried to drop weight, and your results just
don't ever seem to stack up very well next to your pals' - - that
can be very demoralizing. But it may be that you're subject to
certain resistant genetic factors. Sometimes, simply understanding
the cards they're holding can alleviate a lot of the frustration
for people by enabling them to set more sensible expectations, and
helping them take a fresh start at getting healthy.
Bistro M.D. is a diet home delivery program can help you loss
weight. When you join you will have all your meals delivered to
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science behind losing weight and you will also have free and
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to make sure you achieve your goals. Join us today by clicking here
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