Patricia Inacio PhD,  —

Alterations in the gene coding for the NRF2 protein after menopause may lead to a defective response to oxidative stress — an imbalance between the production of harmful free radicals and the body’s antioxidant defenses — and higher blood levels of glucose, while also increasing the risk for…

Soybean oil, the most consumed cooking oil in the U.S., induces genetic changes in the hypothalamus — the brain region controlling appetite and metabolism — a study in mice suggests. The findings indicate that, besides its effects on obesity, this oil affects the brain control…

A variant in the FTO gene is associated with increased body mass index (BMI) and with both more premeditation and more perseverance in the personalities of young American adults of European ancestry, a study suggests. This indicates that impulsive behavior is associated with higher BMI and obesity, the…

A new case report described the rare case of a girl with Bardet-Biedl syndrome (BBS) who experienced hearing loss and bronchopneumonia. The research, “A Unique Manifestation of Bardet-Biedl Syndrome with Otolaryngologic Symptoms and Bronchopneumonia in a One-year-old Girl,” was published in the journal Cureus,…

Rhythm Pharmaceuticals is planning to expand its ongoing Phase 2 basket study investigating setmelanotide as an obesity treatment. The enlarged trial will include four additional genetic obesity disorders caused by an abnormal melanocortin-4 receptor (MC4R) pathway. The announcement comes after genetic screening of nearly 14,000 patients with…

Genetic variations in the fat mass and obesity-associated (FTO) gene are strongly associated with obesity in both children and adults in the Chinese population, a study reports. The study, “FTO gene polymorphisms and obesity risk in Chinese population: a meta-analysis,” was published in the World Journal of Pediatrics. The…

Mutations in genes belonging to the melanocortin-4 receptor (MC4R) pathway are linked to severe obesity but these cases are generally under-diagnosed and poorly understood. Therefore, a new registry, called TEMPO, has been set up to collect data from these patients with the goal of using it as a platform to…

Children carrying a genetic variant of the FTO gene are prone to eat more calories, with each copy of the variant resulting in approximately 65 more calories being ingested at each meal, a new study shows. These findings suggest genetic factors affect eating behavior and food preferences in children, which may help…

Children with early-onset obesity have a higher burden of rare genetic variants involved in obesity than controls, suggesting that genomic analysis may improve individualized follow-ups and genetic counseling to families. The study, “Heterozygous rare genetic variants in non-syndromic early-onset obesity,” was published in the International Journal of Obesity.

A protein known as the steroid receptor coactivator-1 (SRC-1) helps regulate body weight by controlling the function of neurons involved in eating impulses, a study reveals. The study, “Steroid receptor coactivator-1 modulates the function of Pomc neurons and energy homeostasis,” was published in the journal Nature Communications.