Is WEIGHT GAIN caused by genetics or not? **For my Paper**

kassiebby1124

I'm writing an English paper and my thesis is defending the idea that gaining weight is not ruled by genetics but I'd like to see some of you all's opinions and if you have references or links to data, that would be appreciated. What do you think? Is it's genetics fault or other factors?


These are the points I'm addressing in the paper:

Thesis: While genetics play a role in how quickly food is processed and where is is lost first when one loses weight, it is in no way associated with weight gain.
Point one: Genetics play a role in an individual’s “ideal weight,” not how much they gain.
Point two: Weight gain is caused by increased caloric intake; if you eat more than you burn, you gain weight, if you eat less, you lose it.
Point three: Many people focus on blaming genetics when they do not want to put in the effort it takes to lose weight or to maintain weight loss.

aarnwine2013

No, I don't believe it's genetics. I think it's eating more calories than you burn.

psuLemon

Genetics does not determine your weight. What genetics can affect is: muscle and bone structure, blood pressure, medical issues, cholesterol.

SezxyStef

no...it does not...

Genetics is for internal things you can't control...

Weight gain is allll about excess calories...

nomeejerome

If you are in school, don't you have access to research, journals etc?

To answer your question:
Calorie surplus=weight gain

kwantlen2051

I think it's more "eating habits that get passed on from parents to offspring" than "genetics" that produce families and families of overweight people.

MrsRatfire

Metabolic disorders that are genetic are serious diseases. I have one. I am lucky to be alive. I believe this topic of genetics is way too wide for an English paper as you need to draw a conclusion. There are MANY genetic variations that are considered metabolic. MANY of them are a missing or dysfunctional enzyme that causes the problem. They are extremely difficult to diagnose and very expensive to diagnose, and can be deadly and crippling. Most of people with MD have a disorder of the metabolism. Another HUGE category are called, Fatty Acid Oxidation Disorders. Many people die from this and on the FOD Group Support site, there is a section of "in memorial",

Another HUGE category is called Glycogen Storage Disorders. Although they have overlaps with FOD's, they usually do cause weight gain. Many FOD people end up storing weight as well. I could go on and on about the genetic disorders that impact weight and metabolism all Genetic, and I could not scratch the surface in this e-mail. Unfortunately, it you do a google of these diseases, you will probably find a watered down solution, such as that FOD's will live normal lives and just have to restrict their diet. Well, tell that to the people in the wheel chairs that at one time, could dance, walk & hold a job.

In my particular case, my issues include muscle spasms that are crippling- where I scream in agony as every thread of my body reacts to running out of fuel. this is common. My liver and heart do not function correctly and are in danger of damage and stopping during these episodes. I run out of fuel, even though I eat. I MUST eat more than a normal person, I MUST eat carb and I cannot make it through the overnight fast. These symptoms are common. I also have stored a lot of weight, which I am working on. If you want more information on this, I would be happy to give you some better web links to some of these diseases. You will find the quick google searches to probably tell you, none of this. In fact, they are often entirely wrong.

You would somehow have to eliminate this huge group of rare genetic disorders. In the course of an English paper, this is too complex and lengthy to do. There are MANY fitness subjects you could work on, but this one, will end up to be incorrect and very possibly, highly offensive to anyone that understands this. Metabolic diseases are not as rare as you think. Yes they are all considered rare, but there are thousands of us, everywhere.

I rarely tell anyone that I even have a metabolic disorder, they usually interrupt and say , "So do I.". You are correct in that there are a lot of people blaming genetics, and they are wrong for the most part. But those of us who actually have a genetic disorder of the metabolism, are very ill. We eventually all have issues with weight, if we do not die as infants or children. Contact me if you want more information.

kassiebby1124

If you are in school, don't you have access to research, journals etc?

To answer your question:
Calorie surplus=weight gain

I do I just wanted some outside opinions, as well. I have to use research, lol. But I want to make sure I can defend my point as well as support the opposing side and asking for input helps with that.

MrsRatfire

MY POST IS VERY LONG- BUT IT IS A MUST READ. YES, THERE ARE GENETIC DISEASES THAT AFFECT THE METABOLISM. PLEASE, ALL OF YOU READ THIS. YES, THERE ARE CONDITIONS THAT LEAD TO WEIGHT GAIN.

_KitKat_

I believe it is 98% calorie in calorie out. There are those though that may have hormone imbalances or other biological considerations that may not properly trigger hunger and fullness.

I do know of one example, and now i will be googling to find the name of it. When I was in school I had a friend that was extremely athletic (junior Olympics, runner and swimmer), as a child she KNEW she would be very large as an adult, he father suffered from a condition that caused massive weight gain and her mother carried the gene for it. All the kids were tested and 2 of the 3 had the disease (or condition not sure of the right word). She did start becoming large at the end of highschool and was still extremely active. As an adult she battles it and is large but not debilitated like her father became, unfortunately her older sister has not been as lucky and it is affecting her more. Now I am off to google, I may even try to reach her but it is a touchy subject. This condition from what I had been told is also extremely rare.

For other genetic predispositions, I believe most people of a healthy weight learn to deal with it, it is also their own body so it really is the only thing they know. Some do have higher metabolisms naturally due to natural body composition and muscle ratio.

Edited to add, just read the post above very informative.

kassiebby1124

I believe it is 98% calorie in calorie out. There are those thought that may have hormone imbalances or other biological considerations that may not properly trigger hunger and fullness.

I do know of one example, and now i will be googling to find the name of it. When I was in school I had a friend that was extremely athletic (junior Olympics, runner and swimmer), as a child she KNEW she would be very large as an adult, he father suffered from a condition that caused massive weight gain and her mother carried the gene for it. All the kids were tested and 2 of the 3 had the disease (or condition not sure of the right word). She did start becoming large at the end of highschool and was still extremely active. As an adult she battles it and is large but not debilitated like her father became, unfortunately her older sister has not been as lucky and it is affecting her more. Now I am off to google, I may even try to reach her but it is a touchy subject. This condition from what I had been told is also extremely rare.

For other genetic predispositions, I believe most people of a healthy weight learn to deal with it, it is also their own body so it really is the only thing they know. Some do have higher metabolisms naturally due to natural body composition and muscle ratio.

Thank you (:

omma_to_3

We all have different metabolic rates and that can and is affected by our genetic make-up. Still, eating more calories than your body burns is what causes weight gain. But, one female weighing 150 lbs could have a BMR around 1300 calories, and another could have a BMR of 1700 calories - even if they had similar body compositions. So from that perspective, some people will be more prone to gain weight easily because their metabolism is lower than the "standard" assumption and the vast majority of people do not know what their actual BMR is.

Mr_Knight

Point one: Genetics play a role in an individual’s “ideal weight,” not how much they gain.

If you believe the world runs strictly on "science", then genetics is a huge determinant in weight gain.

SLLRunner

Genetics doesn't affect weight loss, but it does affect our body build, etc.

Weight is determined by how much we eat.

_KitKat_

OP you should read this... http://www.cdc.gov/obesity/adult/causes/index.html and this http://www.cdc.gov/genomics/resources/diseases/obesity/index.htm

It is from the CDC, I did find another article that was interesting, but it was written by a weight loss surgery place so I did not find it credible.

Mr_Knight

Weight is determined by how much we eat.

Which is governed by genetics (plus a bunch of other science stuff).

psuLemon

Metabolic disorders that are genetic are serious diseases. I have one. I am lucky to be alive. I believe this topic of genetics is way too wide for an English paper as you need to draw a conclusion. There are MANY genetic variations that are considered metabolic. MANY of them are a missing or dysfunctional enzyme that causes the problem. They are extremely difficult to diagnose and very expensive to diagnose, and can be deadly and crippling. Most of people with MD have a disorder of the metabolism. Another HUGE category are called, Fatty Acid Oxidation Disorders. Many people die from this and on the FOD Group Support site, there is a section of "in memorial",

Another HUGE category is called Glycogen Storage Disorders. Although they have overlaps with FOD's, they usually do cause weight gain. Many FOD people end up storing weight as well. I could go on and on about the genetic disorders that impact weight and metabolism all Genetic, and I could not scratch the surface in this e-mail. Unfortunately, it you do a google of these diseases, you will probably find a watered down solution, such as that FOD's will live normal lives and just have to restrict their diet. Well, tell that to the people in the wheel chairs that at one time, could dance, walk & hold a job.

In my particular case, my issues include muscle spasms that are crippling- where I scream in agony as every thread of my body reacts to running out of fuel. this is common. My liver and heart do not function correctly and are in danger of damage and stopping during these episodes. I run out of fuel, even though I eat. I MUST eat more than a normal person, I MUST eat carb and I cannot make it through the overnight fast. These symptoms are common. I also have stored a lot of weight, which I am working on. If you want more information on this, I would be happy to give you some better web links to some of these diseases. You will find the quick google searches to probably tell you, none of this. In fact, they are often entirely wrong.

You would somehow have to eliminate this huge group of rare genetic disorders. In the course of an English paper, this is too complex and lengthy to do. There are MANY fitness subjects you could work on, but this one, will end up to be incorrect and very possibly, highly offensive to anyone that understands this. Metabolic diseases are not as rare as you think. Yes they are all considered rare, but there are thousands of us, everywhere.

I rarely tell anyone that I even have a metabolic disorder, they usually interrupt and say , "So do I.". You are correct in that there are a lot of people blaming genetics, and they are wrong for the most part. But those of us who actually have a genetic disorder of the metabolism, are very ill. We eventually all have issues with weight, if we do not die as infants or children. Contact me if you want more information.

Well it sucks that you have a metabolic disorder, the vast majority of people do not. Yes, there are people, that have more variables when it comes to weight management and health, but again the vast majority don't.

My wife is one of those that require a special diet. She has a medical condition called Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome which requires her to be gluten free and low carb. The only exercise she can do is weight training and has to make sure she maintains her electrolyte balance; this requires drinking stuff like water with nuun tablets (electrolyte tablets) and cocunut water as opposed to straight water.

MrsRatfire

You are not correct. Yes a lot of people blame genetics, but genetic errors of metabolism are very serious diseases. I have one. I have worked at my weight my entire life. I will never win, I can only improve it. You can read my post if you would like more information.

psuLemon

You are not correct. Yes a lot of people blame genetics, but genetic errors of metabolism are very serious diseases. I have one. I have worked at my weight my entire life. I will never win, I can only improve it. You can read my post if you would like more information.

I updated my post. Which metabolic issue do you have?

MrsRatfire

You are correct. But I will tell you, there are so many variations and we are all affected at different ages- and of course it progresses. Many people have one and at this time do not know it. Then they drop dead of a heart attack or something else, and no one is none the wiser. I do agree, that the unbelievable waive of obesity around the world is not genetic. It is hard to even imagine as I see it all over, I lived in a time when obesity was not the norm. I just can hardly believe how many fat young people and teenagers there are. No way they all have diseases. But- there are many of us out there. Thank you for your understanding.

MrsRatfire

I have an FOD (Fatty Oxidation disorder) and a Glycogen Storage Disorder- and gosh knows what in-between. Many of us have hybrid diseases or have things that are similar to these- yet something the geneticists have yet to label- the diagnosis is horrible complex. thank you for asking.

_KitKat_

I found this

"Each inherited metabolic disorder is quite rare in the general population. Considered all together, inherited metabolic disorders may affect about 1 in 1,000 to 2,500 newborns. In certain ethnic populations, such as Ashkenazi Jews (Jews of central and eastern European ancestry), the rate of inherited metabolic disorders is higher."

So it is rare but not as rare as a blood clotting disorder, This does show that when people do say they have a disorder, they may in fact have one but over all it is rare. Unfortunately any rare condition is normally not understood and has little funding.

MrsRatfire

You are not correct. Please take the time to read my posts. thank you.

psuLemon

You are correct. But I will tell you, there are so many variations and we are all affected at different ages- and of course it progresses. Many people have one and at this time do not know it. Then they drop dead of a heart attack or something else, and no one is none the wiser. I do agree, that the unbelievable waive of obesity around the world is not genetic. It is hard to even imagine as I see it all over, I lived in a time when obesity was not the norm. I just can hardly believe how many fat young people and teenagers there are. No way they all have diseases. But- there are many of us out there. Thank you for your understanding.

But weight isn't a factor of genetics. Your family history can dictate if your will have naturally high cholesterol, if your are prone to certain disease (cancers, thyroid, pcos, etc..) but it doesn't mean you will automatically be obese. You can control your weight through the correct medicine (which may take time to get), diet and exercise. You can have very obese parents and still be skinny if you change your habits. I know for a fact it's not as easy to lose as compared to someone with no health issues, but its possible for everyone to lose weight.

MrsRatfire

You are incorrect. Please read my posts. Thank you.

psuLemon

You are not correct. Please take the time to read my posts. thank you.

Why do you keep repeating this.. it's apparent we have read your post.

_KitKat_

You are not correct. Please take the time to read my posts. thank you.

I read each of your posts, May I ask where I was in error, if you were speaking to me.

I did check both disorders against the NORD database, I found nothing there. (NORD is the database of rare diseases)

psuLemon

You are incorrect. Please read my posts. Thank you.

Than post some research to justify your claim. Suggesting we are wrong will not help us as community to become smarter or the OP to be able to answer her paper.

rosebette

I believe that it can be genetic. My husband comes from a family that is heavy with a tendency toward diabetes, which he has now. My daughter is a larger build and tends to be a bit over her BMI, as does one of my sons. While my husband has been a big eater, I've seen the way other guys eat, and they aren't that heavy. In fact, at home, he eats exactly what I eat, so he should be losing tons, but he doesn't.

My own family consists of small people. I am the "fattest" person in my family of origin, and the heaviest I've been is around 140-145 at a height of 5'2". I'm currently around 120 and still heavier than my mother and my sister. My father, God rest his soul, used to eat dessert every night and mountains of potatoes. He lived to be 86 and never weighed more than 150. My mom still wears a size 6 and always has cookies and ice cream in her house. We all have high cholesterol, though, but we also live forever, despite it.

There's also an ethnic/racial component to weight and body type. My husband is Italian, and my family is French-Canadian. However, I teach ESL to a wide range of ethnicities, and I would say Latinos tend to be heavier, and Asians tend to be thinner, regardless of what they eat. If there wasn't a "genetic" component, what would account for these differences? You might want to look this up in some scholarly sources about this issue to get a more precise answer.

_KitKat_

I believe that it can be genetic. My husband comes from a family that is heavy with a tendency toward diabetes, which he has now. My daughter is a larger build and tends to be a bit over her BMI, as does one of my sons. While my husband has been a big eater, I've seen the way other guys eat, and they aren't that heavy. In fact, at home, he eats exactly what I eat, so he should be losing tons, but he doesn't.

My own family consists of small people. I am the "fattest" person in my family of origin, and the heaviest I've been is around 140-145 at a height of 5'2". I'm currently around 120 and still heavier than my mother and my sister. My father, God rest his soul, used to eat dessert every night and mountains of potatoes. He lived to be 86 and never weighed more than 150. My mom still wears a size 6 and always has cookies and ice cream in her house. We all have high cholesterol, though, but we also live forever, despite it.

There's also an ethnic/racial component to weight and body type. My husband is Italian, and my family is French-Canadian. However, I teach ESL to a wide range of ethnicities, and I would say Latinos tend to be heavier, and Asians tend to be thinner, regardless of what they eat. If there wasn't a "genetic" component, what would account for these differences? You might want to look this up in some scholarly sources about this issue to get a more precise answer.

Differences in weight regarding ethnicity has more to do with culture and diet than genetics. The ethnicity's ethnic foods would be the main determining factor.

As for having junk in the house it is more about frequency and portion. My family always has these things, the difference between my self at a healthy (never worried about it weight ) and now is how often I began to snack and the portion size. The other members of my family are all have a healthy low bmi.

MrsRatfire

The electrolyte issue is huge for these disorders. I was once ordered back to the hospital from a routine blood test as my sodium was so low, they said I was going to have a heart attack. I love salt, but it does not metabolize well enough in me. Hence, I MUST eat sodium. Your wife's disease does sound genetic to me, but I am not familiar with it. In contract, all of us in both disease groups much eat low fat, higher carb. Exercise is very difficult. When I was young, I could. And I did, for grueling hours a day trying to keep my weight off. Now at age 54, I go into spasms - which is running out of fuel- without exercise. When I say spasms- I have what I consider a normal level, for me. What I try to avoid is ones that are like a woman screaming in labor. I am going to try marching in place at at least 120 steps per minute and see if I can add ANY exercise at all. I am all about avoiding crisis, I do house work in bits and pieces. I would love to have my energy back- I do all kins of things and take all kinds of things to improve it. Again, I will not win, but I can make it better!

this is how I am going to calculate MARCHING IN PLACE:

Timing your walking while on your virtual treadmill, along with performing some simple math, will tell you how many calories you are burning. For each half-hour you march in place at a normal brisk pace of 120 steps per minute (about 3.5 miles per hour), you will burn an amount of calories that equals your weight in pounds.

In other words, if you weigh 150 pounds, marching in place on the virtual treadmill will burn 150 calories each half-hour, or 300 calories each hour.

To find out how many calories you are burning per minute, simply divide 150 calories per half-hour by 30 minutes, or divide 300 calories per hour by 60 minutes, which, in this case, equals 5 calories per minute.