Research

Hormonal

Genetic variants, particularly in the MC4R, FTO, and LEP/LEPR genes, significantly influence susceptibility to obesity, affecting appetite regulation, energy expenditure, and fat storage.

Genetics play a significant role in obesity risk. If you have a family history of obesity, you may have a higher predisposition. However, this does not mean weight management is impossible; tailored medical and lifestyle strategies can be highly effective.

StrongSupportsHIGH confidence
The MC4R gene... is recognized as the most frequent childhood obesity-associated gene... Variants in the FTO... are associated with an increased risk of obesity and higher BMI... Sequence variants of the LEP gene... and its receptor LEPR... can lead to leptin resistance, disrupting appetite control and contributing to severe obesity.
Gašper Tonin et al. · Obesity Reviews · 2025

Why this rating

Extensive genetic studies cited.

Source

The Genetic Blueprint of Obesity: From Pathogenesis to Novel Therapies

Gašper Tonin et al. · Obesity Reviews · 2025

DOI 10.1111/obr.13978

narrative_reviewCited 7×
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DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10

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