Study finds that not all body fat is bad
An international team of scientists, including researchers at the University of Copenhagen, have identified 62 genes that lead to both higher levels of body fat but a lower risk of cardiovascular and metabolic diseases.
These genes may help to keep body fat healthy and open a new avenue for developing drugs that lower the risk of diabetes and heart disease.
People living with obesity tend to have unhealthy glucose and lipid levels in their blood, as well as high blood pressure. As a result, they are more at risk of cardiovascular and metabolic diseases.
But scientists have observed that up to 45 per cent of people living with obesity have healthy blood pressure and glucose and lipid levels, and therefore may not be at high risk of disease. It is poorly understood why this group of people with obesity remain healthy.
Now researchers have identified a range of genes that are linked to both elevated levels of body fat, as well as offering protection from some of the negative health impacts of obesity.
Associate Professor Tuomas Kilpeläinen says the findings shed new light on the biology that may disconnect higher levels of body fat from a higher risk of diabetes and heart disease.
"The identified genes seem to benefit our health by helping to maintain healthy fat tissue," he said. "Some of the genes may offer targets for the development of new therapies that lower the risk of diabetes and heart disease by improving the health of our fat tissue."
The scientists made the discovery by analysing data from hundreds of thousands of people who had been assessed for their body fat and disease risk markers.
They identified 62 sections of the genome that were significantly associated with both high levels of body fat and lower risk of cardiometabolic diseases.
Further analyses showed that the genes had a range of functions in the body, including the regulation and development of fat cells, distribution of body fat, as well as energy regulation and inflammation.
Do you expect these new findings will lead to a way to carry excess weight in a healthy way?
The have lost the plot yet again, now they are giving people permission to be fat. See the rush at Maccas and Hungry Jacks after this rubbish is published.