Sport Reduces The Genetic Predisposition To Obesity
Author: Maryam Ayres
Time for reading: ~1
minutes
Last Updated:
January 27, 2026
The obtained data refute the hypothesis that the hereditary tendency to obesity is insurmountable ...
The results of a study conducted by British scientists show that regular exercise can reduce the genetic predisposition to obesity by an average of 40%, according to AFP.
The data obtained refute the hypothesis that the hereditary predisposition to obesity is insurmountable. According to scientists, exercise and physical activity give a positive result in all those who are trying to reduce their weight.
The findings are based on studies conducted on 20,430 people in Norwich, UK. Tests have shown that most study participants inherited an average of between 10 and 13 genetic variations that are known to increase the risk of obesity. Some of the participants had up to 17 variations, others only 6.
According to the study's authors, each of the additional variations is associated with an increase in body mass index (BMI), which measures height and weight.
Dr Ruth Loos of the Epidemiology Division of the UK Medical Research Council explains that any additional genetic variation is associated with an increase in BMI equivalent to 445 grams per person 1.70 m tall.
In people who, despite their genetic predisposition to overweight, are active, the risk genes led to an increase in weight of only 379. This is 36% lower than in physically inactive individuals who gained an average of 592 g. of a genetic variant. Each additional variation increased the individual risk of obesity 1.1 times, but in physically active individuals the risk was 40% lower.
"The study challenges deterministic views on the predisposition to obesity," the researchers said, adding that their findings underscore the importance of physical activity in preventing obesity.