Children get fats from parents through genes, says study

About 35 to 40 per cent children from all over the world inherit obesity from parents, says a recent research undertaken by University of Sussex.

Children inherit obesity from their parents. Yes, around 35-40 per cent worldwide inherit obesity from their parents, according to a recent study undertaken by University of Sussex.

Well the research is very apt for Indian population an in India 35-40 per cent people are fat, medical experts say.

The researchers focused on BMI (Body Mass Index) of obese children and also their parents across six countries- UK, USA, China, Indonesia, Spain and Mexico.

According to Prof. Peter Dolton, the lead author of the study, the pattern of results was found to be consistent in all the countries. Data included sample of over 100, 000 in the most obese nations (US and UK) and the least obese nations, China and Indonesia.

Dolton, during the research, found that the study gives implication of how obesity is transmitted across generations in both developed and developing countries. The study also indicated that this process of intergenerational transmission is same in all the different countries.

Commenting on this research, leading obesity surgeon Dr M G Bhat from Apollo Spectra and Manipal Hospitals in Bangalore said, “in many of my patients, I have observed that they also have obese children pointing out to family factors and genetic inheritance.”

“Researches have shown that Genes appear to play an important role in the development of obesity in childhood. Genes may influence behaviour through appetite or by making it harder to resist food,” Bhatt said.

Dr Supreet Grover, nutritionist & weight loss consultant at AXIS Hospital says, “Various Factors lead to obesity and I do believe that to an extent obesity is a result of our genetic inheritance and family factors,”