FTO Gene Makes People Overweight and Increases Risk for Alzheimer’s Disease

Are you overweight or do you suffer from obesity? Many people struggle with weight issues and have a hard time winning the battle of the bulge. You might have thought that being overweight was a genetic issue and now scientists have found that this is true.

A study was conducted by researchers and found that a particular gene makes people overweight or obese. The study compared brain scans of more than 200 people and found consistently less tissue in the brains of people who carry the “bad” version of the FTO gene compared to non-carriers.The gene not only causes people to become overweight but it also increases their risk for developing Alzheimer’s disease which is a type of dementia. More than one-third of the U.S. population is at risk for diseases such as Alzheimer’s due FTO gene, researchers said.

The goal of the research is to understand how conditions arise, and to identify the best opportunities for prevention and treatment. The brain becomes more susceptible to developing illnesses such as Alzheimer’s disease as the brain tissue amount drops.

Alzheimer’s disease cannot be cured but people who have the FTO gene can help to cut their risk of developing the disease by maintaining a healthy weight with diet and exercise. The less the body weighs the more brain tissue it will have to protect itself from disease.