Genetic factors may hinder weight loss, as per a new research claim.
Your Genetic Structure Might Be the Key to Why You're Not Shedding Pounds
New research from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and Ben Gurion University in Israel reveals that one-third of people following a healthy diet didn't lose a single pound, though they did experience health benefits.
The study, published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, analyzed changes in weight and health for 761 individuals in Israel with abdominal obesity. Participants exhibited "significant improvements" in cardio-metabolic markers, including improved cholesterol, lower levels of leptin - the hunger hormone - and less visceral fat found deep inside the abdominal cavity.
Across three trials, participants were assigned to specific healthy diets - such as low-fat, low-carb, Mediterranean, and green-Mediterranean - for 18 to 24 months. While 36% achieved "clinically significant" weight loss, another 28% gained weight or didn't lose any. Despite this weight stagnation, both groups experienced health benefits.
"Those who were resistant to weight loss, mostly older individuals and women, showed the same health improvements as participants who lost weight," said lead study author Anat Yaskolka Meir, a postdoctoral research fellow at the Department of Epidemiology at Harvard Chan School.
Genetics could be the culprit behind this resistance to losing weight, according to Dr. Philip Rabito, an endocrinologist and weight-loss specialist in New York City. "Simply stated, despite similar efforts, caloric restriction, and lifestyle interventions, some patients lose more weight than others," he said. Some individuals may not respond as robustly to interventions, though this can be overseen with the right guidance.
Dr. Manoel Galvao Neto, M.D., director of bariatric research at Orlando Health Weight Loss and Bariatric Surgery Institute, agrees. "It is a true combination of genetic factors, and it affects the metabolism, appetite, fat storage, and response to diet and exercise," he said.
Emerging research suggests that personalizing obesity treatment can be more effective, given an individual's genetic background. Tailored dietary plans, customized exercise programs, and holistic lifestyle adjustments could be key to reaching weight loss goals.
For instance, certain genes can determine the body's response to macronutrients like carbohydrates and fats. Individuals with a specific IRS1 gene variant might benefit more from higher carbohydrate and lower fat diets, while others might respond better to low-carb or fat-restricted diets based on their insulin sensitivity.
Overall, understanding genetic factors influencing weight loss resistance can help design personalized obesity treatments, optimizing diet plans, exercise regimens, and lifestyle interventions. Incorporating genetic insights should complement healthy eating, physical activity, sleep hygiene, and stress management for sustainable weight management outcomes.
- Despite following specific healthy diets and experiencing health benefits, a significant number of individuals might not lose weight due to their genetic structure, particularly older individuals and women.
- Genetic factors can affect an individual's metabolism, appetite, fat storage, and response to diet and exercise, resulting in resistance to weight loss.
- By personalizing obesity treatment based on an individual's genetic background, tailored dietary plans, customized exercise programs, and holistic lifestyle adjustments could potentially lead to more successful weight loss.
- Certain genes can determine the body's response to macronutrients like carbohydrates and fats, suggesting that a one-size-fits-all approach to diet and exercise may not be effective for everyone, especially when addressing chronic diseases and medical conditions.
