Excessive weight can alter DNA, says study
Posted on: 25/Dec/2016 11:40:26 AM
A large scale study of 10,000 people has shown that the extra pounds that you gain during holidays may not only show up on your body but also alter your DNA and gene expression. The study was conducted by researchers from the Zentrum Munchen in Germany who found that a high body mass index, BMI, leads to epigenetic changes at nearly 200 loci of the genome - with effects on gene expression. The research was published in the journal Nature.
Speaking about this, the researchers said, While our genes do not change in the course of life, our lifestyle can directly influence their surroundings. Epigenome refers to everything that happens on or around the genes. Up to now there has not been much research on how the epigenome is altered as a result of being overweight. This issue is particularly relevant because an estimated one and a half billion people throughout the world are overweight, especially considering that being overweight can have adverse consequences and lead to diabetes and diseases of the cardiovascular and metabolic systems. Further studies and long-term observations also indicated that the changes were predominantly a consequence of being overweight. In particular, significant changes were found in the expression of genes responsible for lipid metabolism and substrate transport, but inflammation-related gene loci were also affected. Our results allow new insights into which signalling pathways are influenced by obesity. We hope that this will lead to new strategies for predicting and possibly preventing type 2 diabetes and other consequences of being overweight.
