Genetic Factors in Obesity

Your genes can influence how your body stores fat, controls appetite and responds to food, which is why some people gain weight more easily than others. Genes do not make weight gain inevitable; they set tendencies that lifestyle can still influence. Knowing your family history helps tailor a more effective plan.

Obesity has a strong heritable component, with twin and family studies estimating heritability of 40 to 70 percent. Common variants across hundreds of gene loci each exert small effects on appetite, satiety and energy expenditure, while rare monogenic forms such as MC4R or leptin pathway deficiency cause severe early-onset obesity. Polygenic risk interacts with the food environment to determine the final phenotype.

Recognising a genetic contribution reduces self-blame and supports a medical, personalised approach. At Accord Medical Clinic, Dr Joseph Wang considers family history when setting realistic goals and selecting therapies.