Why is it that some people struggle more than others to lose weight? Could this be because of your genetics?
Let’s discover how your genes can control your appetite.
What is appetite?
It is the natural desire of an individual to eat and satisfy a body need, especially for food.
Food is an important component to stimulate your appetite. Even when you’re not feeling hungry, appetite can be greatly reduced by satiety.
It serves to regulate sufficient energy intake to maintain metabolic needs. It is controlled by a close interaction between the digestive tract, fat tissue and the brain.
Moreover, the hunger feeling is related to the behaviour of the individual. The reduction in your desire to eat is known as anorexia, while the increased eating is known as polyphagia. When your appetite is not regulated, it leads to an increase in your calorie intake that would result in weight gain.
Factors affecting your appetite
Physiological factors include genetics, hormones and metabolism.
Environmental factors include temperature and food availability.
Personal perception factors include body image, peer pressure and diet knowledge.
Let’s have a closer look at how your genes could control your food desire
Turns out, genetics does seem to play a role. Perhaps surprisingly, however, genes have a bigger impact on our appetite than our metabolism. People who have a faster increase in body weight seem to do so as they feel hungrier more often than those who are naturally thin.
Genes associated with hunger regulation:
A study from the University of Cambridge consists of DNA samples and the medical records of over half a million people aged between 40 and 69 years old have found that the MC4R gene is responsible for controlling our appetite. This gene acts as an appetite suppressor in the brain. Therefore, individuals who have a genetic variation of this gene can easily gain weight.
Image from Sciencemission.com
A variation of the MC4R gene protects against the risk of obesity and its complications and, importantly, is also linked to lower the risk of blood pressure and type 2 diabetes. A recent study has also shown that around 4 million individuals in the UK have MC4R gene variation, which resulted in appetite suppression and leads to weight loss.
By the same token, GHRL gene acts as an appetite regulation hormone that reduced the food intake and the feeling of having an empty stomach. Variation in this gene results in an increase in food intake that leads to obesity and its complications.
Genetic testing and your appetite
It is also important that we should take note of the fact that there are around 2000 genetic variations in our DNA that affect our health.
Some of these genetic variations are dangerous, while some are not. Similarly, every single individual will have different appetite risk levels based on our respective genetic composition. By understanding your genetic makeup, you can live a healthier life with the right methods that work for your body.
So, are you wondering if you may be genetically prone to high appetite? Try our DNA Explorer Essential to find out the DNA predispositions that could affect your appetite and your tenancy to gain weight!
For more information about your genes, feel free to check out our website here or chat with us on Facebook to exchange ideas.
