Scientists have discovered a genetic defect that makes you more likely to be overweight or obese – but there may be a cure.
Experts at Exeter University found people with a faulty gene called SMIM1 burn less energy while resting, giving them a massive disadvantage when trying to maintain a healthy weight.
On average, women with the condition are 10lbs (4.6kg) heavier, and men have an extra 5lbs (2.4kg) of fat.
The defect is found in individuals with a rare blood type called Vel-negative, believed to affect around one in 5,000 people.
Women with the SMIM1 genetic deficiency are 10lbs (4.6kg) heavier on average, and men have an extra 5lbs (2.4kg) of fat
People with the condition burn less energy while resting, giving them a massive disadvantage when trying to maintain a healthy weight
They are more likely to be obese and overweight – but the researchers think there may be an answer.
It’s hoped a cheap and widely available drug for thyroid dysfunction called levothyroxine may help obesity with the SMIM1 gene deficiency.
Professor of cell biology Mattia Frontini, of the University of Exeter Medical School, said: ‘Obesity rates have nearly tripled in the past 50 years, and by 2030, more than one billion individuals worldwide are projected to be obese.
‘The associated diseases and complications create significant economic burden on healthcare systems.
‘Obesity is due to an imbalance between energy intake and expenditure, often a complex interplay of lifestyle, environmental, and genetic factors.
‘In a small minority of people, obesity is caused by genetic variants. When this is the case, new treatments can sometimes be found to benefit these people.
‘We are now hoping to run a clinical trial to find out whether a widely-available drug for thyroid supplementation may be beneficial in treating people who lack SMIM1.
‘Our findings highlight the need to investigate the genetic cause of obesity, to select the most appropriate and effective treatment, but also to reduce the social stigma associated to it.’
The proportion of Brits overweight or obese has slowly grown over time, rising to two thirds as of 2021, the latest data available. No data was recorded for 2020 the year of the Covid pandemic
Obesity affects around a quarter of all adults in the UK and increases the risk of conditions such as type 2 diabetes, stroke and coronary heart disease.
The new research, published in the journal Med, was funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research and the British Heart Foundation.
The team analysed the genetic data of nearly 500,000 individuals, identifying 104 people with the variant that leads to loss of function in the SMIM1 gene.
Using blood samples from both Vel negative and positive individuals, they also established that people with the SMIM1 deficiency often have other conditions linked to obesity.
These include high levels of fat in the blood, signs of fat tissue dysfunction, increased liver enzymes and lower levels of thyroid hormones.
The collaboration included researchers at the Cambridge University, the Sanger Institute, the Copenhagen University in Denmark and the Lund University in Sweden.
Jill Storry, of Lund University, said: ‘SMIM1 was only discovered a decade ago, as a long-sought blood group protein on red blood cells, but its other function has remained unknown until now.
‘It’s very exciting to find that it has a more general role in human metabolism.’
Professor Ole Pedersen, of the University of Copenhagen, Denmark, said: ‘The whole team is very much looking forward to seeing how this new knowledge can be translated into practical solutions for people with this genetic make-up.’
Dr Luca Stefanucci, of Cambridge, said: ‘With the increased availability of genetic data, and more information on SMIM1 mechanism, we would like to see that when individuals lacking SMIM1 are identified, they receive information and support.’
Source: Mail Online
