Susceptibility to obesity: role of genetic determinants of eating behavior

摘要

When exposed to an environment that promotes a sedentary lifestyle and food accessibility, some individuals are at a higher risk of weight gain. This individual difference can be explained by gene-environment interactions. It has been shown that some individuals have a genetic predisposition to obesity. In addition, a genetic component has been associated with eating behaviour traits such as cognitive restraint, disinhibition, and susceptibility to hunger, all of which are also linked to obesity. The purpose of this review article is to present the current state of knowledge on the heritability of specific eating behaviour traits and to then identify the genes associated with these behaviours. The findings show that disinhibition and susceptibility to hunger are 2 eating behaviour traits that are particularly heritable and that several candidate genes are now associated with eating behaviour traits. These findings indicate that we are far from equal when it comes to food and can help professionals better understand the variability observed in an intervention context. Identifying genes associated with eating behaviour traits is crucial to better identify and intervene with people at higher risk of weight gain.