Chapter 13
Genetics of Obesity
I. Sadaf Farooqi,
I. Sadaf Farooqi
Wellcome-MRC Institute of Metabolic Science, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge, UK
Search for more papers by this authorI. Sadaf Farooqi,
I. Sadaf Farooqi
Wellcome-MRC Institute of Metabolic Science, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge, UK
Search for more papers by this authorBook Editor(s):Richard I.G. Holt MA, MB BChir, PhD, FRCP, FHEA,
Allan Flyvbjerg MD, DMSc,
Richard I.G. Holt MA, MB BChir, PhD, FRCP, FHEA
Professor in Diabetes & Endocrinology Faculty of Medicine Honorary Consultant Physician
Human Development and Health
University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
Southampton National Institute for Health Research Biomedical Research Centre, University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, Southampton, UK
Search for more papers by this authorAllan Flyvbjerg MD, DMSc
Former CEO at Steno Diabetes Center Copenhagen (SDCC) Professor of Clinical Endocrinology
The Capital Region of Denmark
Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
Search for more papers by this authorFirst published: 12 January 2024
Summary
Socioeconomic factors play an important role: the prevalence of obesity in children and adults is twice as high in areas of socioeconomic deprivation compared to more affluent areas. Classically the genetic contribution to a trait or disorder is estimated by studying twins to calculate heritability, the proportion of phenotypic variation that can be explained by genetic variation. Classically the genetic contribution to a trait or disorder is estimated by studying twins to calculate heritability, the proportion of phenotypic variation that can be explained by genetic variation. While serum leptin levels are appropriate for the degree of obesity in most individuals with leptin receptor deficiency, specific mutations, which result in a truncated extracellular domain that binds leptin, can result in markedly elevated leptin levels. Genetic studies continue to play a powerful role in shaping understanding of the pathways regulating weight and their disruption in obesity and can inform strategies to target these pathways for the development of new weight loss strategies.
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