A study shows that specific genes can double weight loss when combined with regular exercise. What you need to know.
A new one University of Essex study has found that special genes help you get slim by doubling weight loss. People with higher numbers of these genes lost more weight in an eight-week period than others:
- The participants with these genes who ran for half an hour three times a week took up to five kilograms ab.
- In comparison, people without these genes took on average two kilograms ab.
The study identified the PARGC1A gene, which encodes the protein PGC-1-a and is critical for weight loss. According to the results, 62 percent of the weight lost was due to the presence of this gene, while the remaining 37 percent was related to exercise and lifestyle factors.
How do genes affect weight loss?
However, Henry Chung, lead author of the study, emphasized that despite these findings, lifestyle and diet continue to play a central role in losing weight:
Genes alone are not enough. Without exercise and lifestyle changes, they cannot reach their full potential.
Chung said it’s important for people to stay active because exercise is crucial not only for weight loss, but also for mental health and cardiovascular fitness. “Even if there is no difference on the scale, there are many benefits to exercise,” he added.
Why exercise and lifestyle continue are crucial
The study observed 38 people between the ages of 20 and 40. During the test phase, the subjects did not change their diet or lifestyle habits in order to examine the effects of genes and training in isolation. All participants were weighed at the beginning and end of the study. The results follow Chung’s previous research, which also showed a connection between genetics and athletic performance.
How genetics can change health care
Chung hopes these findings can help better tailor health interventions to people’s individual genetic profiles. “If we better understand a person’s genetic profile, we could hopefully develop more targeted and successful interventions to improve health,” he explained.
