Can Genetics help with Weight Loss?

Weight loss can be such a challenging process for many people. But one aspect that also can be a contributor is the lesser explored area of genetics and how specific genes can help or derail our best attempts at weight loss. 

You know the story.

Two people eat the same food, but one seems to gain weight, and the other doesn’t?

Why we struggle with weight can have many underlying reasons:

1. Hormone imbalances

2. Quality and Quantity of food (calories)

3. The time(s) of day when we eat (or don’t eat)

4. Energy balance (exercise, activity levels)

5. Nutrients 

6. Stress

7. Sleep

8. Toxins (internal & external including infections)

But one aspect that also can be a contributor is the lesser explored area of genetics; and how certain genes can help or derail our best attempts at weight loss. We often (and rightly so!) put a large emphasis on our food, lifestyle and fitness habits as the only way to lose weight, but weight loss isn't only relevant to the number of km’s run in a week, how many Crossfit classes you’ve done or how many kg’s of spinach you may have eaten this month! 

If you’ve ruled out any hormone imbalances, and done all the “right” things, you may find your underlying genetic profile may be causing you to have a larger appetite, fule your carb cravings or even be impacting your body’s ability to build muscle in response to your gym workouts. 

Researchers have identified a large subset of genes that are linked to adipose tissue, metabolism, insulin sensitivity and impact on obesity risk and weight management.

Let’s look at a few key genes and how we can use this knowledge to our advantage in formulating a personalised, optimal nutrient-dense meal plan:

FTO - The Obesity Gene

Probably the most well-known gene, FTO stands for Fat-mass-and-obesity-associated gene. FTO helps the body sense nutrient intake. Genetic variation or SNPs, will then affect the volume and frequency of meals eaten, then causing either up or down regulation of food (too much or too little) and also lower satiety. The "hunger hormone" — ghrelin (or the gremlin!)  — encourages us to eat. Some FTO SNP’s may mean you have increased ghrelin, and as ghrelin takes a while to dissipate after a meal, you may find you continue eating. This means you may be hungry more often and less food fills you up compared to a normal gene expression. Scientists have found that people with certain SNPs of FTO have a tendency for a higher body mass index (BMI).

“Your genes affect the size of your jeans!”

Vanessa Emslie, PhD Candidate & M.Sc Nutrigenomics / Functional Nutrition

How can you support a healthy weight in spite of having an FTO gene?

1. Increase protein and fibre-rich carbohydrates at breakfast to improve satiety throughout the day.

2. Regular physical activity can effectively turn off the FTO gene

3. Look at the quantity (and quality) of your fat intake as this can impact FTO

4. Increase MUFA’s like avocado, Salmon, walnuts 

5. Limit Saturated Fats 

Insulin Sensitivity can be affected at genetic level.

Insulin helps us to control blood sugar, impacting not only healthy weight but also helping to reduce inflammaging, whereby too much inflammation can cause destructive effects that speed up aging, and chronic disease in our body.

• TCFL2 helps regulate blood glucose balance. This SNP influences both insulin secretion and resistance, plus has been shown to correlate with an increased risk of insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes.

• SLC2a2 is a glucose sensor, helping to trigger optimal insulin secretion in the pancreas. It can also help regulate food intake. 

• MC4R impacts our insulin secretion - and not having sufficient insulin to balance blood sugar will lead to an increased propensity for weight gain.

  “Carriers of the MC4R gene variant are 8% more likely to be overweight and 12% more likely to be obese.”

• PPARG is another important player in weight management. PPARG is a protein involved in fat metabolism, that creates adipose (fat) cells and the uptake of dietary fats in your blood. Having high PPARG values can increase both weight and the risk for heart disease, diabetes, and stroke, plus increase fat deposits in the thigh and buttock area. After menopause, a PPARG SNP may also increase weight gain.

So: now knowing what about our insulin genes, what ACTION PLAN can we put in place to optimise them?

1. Eat plenty of fibre to ensure optimal gut health and to modulate carbohydrate absorption

2. Stick to a low-glycemic eating plan, that prioritises healthy blood glucose

3. Exercise (even walking) can help to improve insulin sensitivity

4. Consider supplement support for insulin (in conjunction with consulting a healthcare professional) that can help blood sugar regulation.

5. Prioritise protein to help with the ghrelin hormone modulation

6. Check your methylation blood markers (B12, Homocysteine) as this can help ensure optimal gene messaging within the body.

It’s easy to get caught up in the details with the weight loss genes (not a bad thing), but often sticking to general, common sense principles and adopting a few tips to help can also be as helpful as in-depth analysis. 

If you want to review the options to do a Lifestyle & Nutrition Audit, or to look at the potential role of genetic analysis to support weight loss - Wellbyness offers a Diet & Weight focused DNA Genetic Analysis that can help. It’s always great when we can do a combined genetics and Lifestyle plan, as together, it can make a significant difference. 

Find out more about the WELLBYNESS diet and weight loss genetics program HERE.

* Genetic testing excludes any inherent or recessive genes that are linked to congenital conditions