A type of exercise can prevent weight gain in spite of 'obesity genes': Study

Deesha Bondre | Aug 4, 2019, 14:19 IST
According to a new study, there are types of exercise that especially effective at combating genetic effects that contribute to obesity. This might just be the good news people were looking for. It can be helpful for those seem to gain weight primarily because of their genetic pattern.
Due to the challenging nature of obesity, people end up trying anything and everything to reduce it. While doctors do recommend exercise it isn’t always clear about kind are of exercises are beneficial in individuals whose genetics make them more likely to become obese.

The findings are published by the Journal PLOS Genetics.
The researchers looked specifically at five measures of obesity, such as body mass index (BMI), body fat percentage and waist-to-hip ratio. They found that regular jogging was the best type of exercise for managing obesity, according to the five measures. Moreover, mountain climbing, walking, power walking, certain types of dancing, and long yoga practices also reduce BMI in individuals predisposed to obesity. Surprisingly, cycling, stretching exercises, swimming and Dance Revolution did not counteract the genetic effects on obesity.

Overall, the study suggests that when it comes to obesity, genetics are not destiny, and the effects can be lessened by several kinds of regular exercise. Previous research has shown that frequent physical activity blunts the genetic effects on obesity, but these studies focused only on BMI. The new study also considers four other measures of obesity that are more closely linked to metabolic problems. As obesity continues to be a serious public health challenge, the benefits of exercise cannot be overstated.




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