Global Health Asia-Pacific July 2020 July 2020 | Page 22
Holistic Health
Certain exercises help
control genetic obesity
People predisposed to obesity can conquer the condition
Hiking helps reduce weight
Regular �ogging is the best exercise to manage
obesity, especially in those with a genetic
predisposition, according to researchers who
looked at the genetics and exercise routines of nearly
20,000 ethnic Chinese adults in Taiwan.
The researchers looked at five measures of obesity,
including body mass index, body fat percentage,
and waist-to-hip ratio, and found �ogging, mountain
climbing, walking, and yoga help reduce weight.
�urprisingly, the researchers found cycling,
stretching, swimming, and the video game Dance
Dance Revolution did not counteract the genetic
effects of obesity.
Obesity is a challenging condition to control
because of the link between a person’s genetics and
lifestyle. Doctors often recommend exercise, but it’s
not clear which are best when genetics make certain
people more likely to become obese.
The �ational Taiwan �niversity study, published
last August, examined the interactions between the
sub�ects’ genetics and their exercise routines.
Its findings suggest that the impact of genetics can
be lessened by several kinds of regular exercise.
�revious research also showed similar connections.
A 2017 study of 200,000 individuals found that
physical activity could reduce the weight-gaining
effects of the strongest known genetic risk factor for
obesity, the �TO gene, by about 30 percent.
The researchers also identified 11 new genetic
variants linked to obesity, suggesting that physical
activity and other relevant environmental factors
should be considered when looking for novel genes.
While the analysis confirmed that physical activity
reduces the effect of the �TO gene, the underlying
cause is still unknown.
The scientists from the �nited �tates, Denmark,
and Australia suspect that physical activity may affect
other genes related to obesity, but to identify these
smaller effects, researchers will require larger groups
of sub�ects and more precise measurements.
�rom a practical standpoint, the findings suggest
that physical activity is still vital, even when obesity
appears to be predetermined by one’s genes, and
could be most beneficial for those who have the
hardest time keeping weight off.
�The 11 entirely new obesity genes that our study
revealed suggest that there will be more, which future
studies need to look for,� study leader Dr Mariaelisa
�raff, with the �niversity of �orth Carolina, told Global
Health Asia-�acific.
�What’s needed now is research that takes much
bigger and more accurate measurements of physical
activity levels to identify novel genes whose effects are
either dampened or amplified by exercise. Our study was
based on the participants self-reporting their exercise
habits, so they were not canvassed ob�ectively.�
From a practical
standpoint,
the findings
suggest that
physical activity
is still vital, even
when obesity
appears to be
predetermined
by one’s genes,
and could be
most beneficial
for those who
have the hardest
time keeping
weight off
20 JULY 2020 GlobalHealthAndTravel.com