Obesity 'may be largely genetic'

[DianaB]

My Mom and Dad were both small people, but my grandmother's were both heavy. Like Tink, I have hypothyroidism which effects my metabolism greatly. It's really hard to lose weight and to want to exercise. The thyroid problems come from my Mother's side of the family but didn't affect my Mother or my Grandmother, but I have two aunts that have it. Strange!

[Marilyn]

I've studied genetics, of course, it was 30 years ago, so they know a lot more now than they did then, but it's actually very easy to understand why traits skip a generation or why one sibling with have it and another will not. We did experiments breeding, of all things, fruit flies and the formulas they taught us for predicting the probability of a trait exhibiting itself were very accurate even then.

If a trait is carried on an uncommon recessive gene, it will not exhibit itself until it is matched by another recessive gene, which could take generations to occur. That was one of my more memorable courses in college. Only reason I took it was because I was majoring in Biology/Pre-Med at the time. Those were the days!! Don't I sound old!!

[Tink]

My thinking is that we can understand a lot about genetics by simply looking at different breeds of the same species. Look at Greyhounds... Very slim and sleek. Then look at the Saint Bernard... big and bulky, or the Rottweiler... short, broad, and muscular. They all have an expected body type based on the genes they've gotten from their parents. If we were to try to judge all dogs based on one or 2 breeds, most would fall short. We'd either think of greyhounds as anorexic or rotties and St Bernard's as fat! So because we expect them to be different and actually designed them to fit a specific purpose, we accept their body types as normal.

So what do you think of when you think of Vikings? Broad, blonde, fair skinned... Or Asians? Petite, with black hair and small features... So why is it so hard to accept that our genetic make-up plays a major role in our body type?
Judy might be a greyhound... and I'm a rottie. LOL

So what are you?

[judy]

A greyhound with a big tummy!

I also majored in Biology, Marilyn. Didn't you love it? Recessive alleles (gene types), etc.

[DianaB]

Marilyn, your classes sound a lot like what my daughter took. They worked with the fruit flies too. She loved that class.

Tink, I think that rotties are a very muscular and energetic dog. I think that suits you!!! I think that I'm a St. Bernard. Heavier and no energy!!!!! And everyone knows that I'm a Saint!!!! LOL!!!!!