People in southern China and Southeast Asia may have a special gene that is linked to a lower risk of obesity, researchers have found.
This gene is a particular type of mtDNA, a variant called M7b1a1, and is prevalent in these regions.
Scientists at Fudan University in China identified the specific gene that protects people from obesity.
They looked at 16 basal mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) haplogroups, and traced it back to a common ancestor.
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The study, published in the Journal of Genetics and Genomics, analyzed 2,877 Han Chinese individuals and found they had the same type of mtDNA.
It’s believed the special gene helped lower the risk of obesity due to a decreased mitochondrial function.
It opens up the conversation around those who struggle to lose weight and how genetics can influence a person’s BMI and risk of obesity if they don’t have the gene found in China.
Researchers said it “offer new insights into the genetic basis of obesity-related traits, enhancing our understanding of how genetics can influence body fat distribution and obesity risk.”
The gene variant found in China does more than just lower the risk of obesity
Scientists found individuals with the gene variant had significantly lower values of all three obesity-related parameters, including BMI, waist circumference and waist-to-hip ratio.
Researchers believe the decreased mitochondrial function may mean less conservation of energy in the body and greater heat generation, leading to a lower BMI. They think this could stem from ancestors needing greater heat generation to adapt to the cold climate during the Ice Age, as well as evolutionary factors.
They determined it could be a protective factor against obesity.
The paper said: “It is crucial to investigate the evolutionary history and especially the effect of natural selection on mtDNA variations associated with obesity to better understand the mechanism underlying obesity development in the modern era.”
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