Researchers have finally identified a single variation in a gene that is responsible for obesity in children and adults by lowering the levels of a certain protein that helps us feel full.
The study submits that a less common version of the brain-derived neurotropic factor (BDNF) gene may predispose people to obesity by producing lower levels of BDNF protein, a regulator of appetite, in the brain.
Jack A Yanovski of the US National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), said “This study explains how a single genetic change in BDNF influences obesity and may affect BDNF protein levels. Finding people with specific causes of obesity may allow us to evaluate effective, more-personalised treatments.”
The researchers found an area of the gene where a single change reduced BDNF levels in the hypothalamus, a key area that controls eating and body weight.
More than 31,000 males and females participated in the study.
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