Severe early-onset obesity has been linked to genetic make-up by a paper published yesterday by Nature.

Investigations of 300 children found copy number variation (CNV) – deletion or duplication of large chunks of DNA – was linked to this form of obesity.

“We found that part of chromosome 16 can be deleted in some families, and that people with this deletion have severe obesity from a young age,” says Sadaf Farooqi from the University of Cambridge (press release).

“Our results suggest that one particular gene on chromosome 16 called SH2B1 plays a key role in regulating weight and also in handling blood sugar levels. People with deletions involving this gene had a strong drive to eat and gained weight very easily.”

Although the finding only applies to severe, early-onset obesity – and not the more widespread problem of adult obesity in general – it could have important implications for those raising children with these CNVs. Some of the children in the study had been placed on social services ‘at risk’ registers as a result of their obesity and suspicions parents were deliberately overfeeding them.

“We hope that this will alter attitudes and practices amongst those with professional responsibility for the health and well-being of children,” says Farooqi.

See also

Obese children taken off at-risk register after scientists discover they carry ‘fat gene’ – Daily Mail

Science rescues children from obesity police – The Times

Weight gain is guided by our DNA but doesn’t usually tell the whole story – Times op ed piece

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