Can Obesity Come From Parents?
Every element of human physiology , development, and adaptation is influenced by genes. The same applies to obesity. However, surprisingly little is known about the precise genes that cause obesity and the magnitude of so-called "genetic environment interactions," the intricate interactions between our ancestry and our upbringing. Following the discovery that almost 40% of a child's weight is inherited from their parents, recent research issues a warning about the potential effects parental overweight and obesity may have on offspring. Additionally, the team discovered that the likelihood of an overweight child increases with parental weight . Obesity can have immediate and long-term effects on a child’s health, including increased risk of asthma, type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, heart disease, and some forms of cancer. Children who are obese are also more likely to have emotional health problems, such as low self-esteem and depression. While a healthful diet an...