Exercises can avert weight gain in spite of 'obesity genes': Study

A recent study has found types of exercise that are especially effective at combating genetic effects that contribute to obesity. For people who inherit genes that increase their chance of becoming obese, there is a hope of keeping their weight off.

Worldwide, obesity is a challenging condition to control because it results from interactions between a person's genetics and lifestyle. Doctors often recommend exercise, but it is not clear which kinds are best for curbing weight gain in individuals whose genetics make them more likely to become obese.

The findings are published by the Journal PLOS Genetics.

The researchers looked specifically at five measures of obesity, such as body mass index (BMI), body fat percentage and waist-to-hip ratio. They found that regular jogging was the best type of exercise for managing obesity, according to the five measures. Moreover, mountain climbing, walking, power walking, certain types of dancing, and long yoga practices also reduce BMI in individuals predisposed to obesity. Surprisingly, cycling, stretching exercises, swimming and Dance Revolution did not counteract the genetic effects on obesity.

Overall, the study suggests that when it comes to obesity, genetics are not destiny, and the effects can be lessened by several kinds of regular exercise. Previous research has shown that frequent physical activity blunts the genetic effects on obesity, but these studies focused only on BMI. The new study also considers four other measures of obesity that are more closely linked to metabolic problems. As obesity continues to be a serious public health challenge, the benefits of exercise cannot be overstated.