Thursday, April 12, 2007

Exploding Obesity

"Around one in five adults are obese and more than half either obese or overweight - almost 24 million people." "By 2010 a third of all men and 28% of women in England will be obese, according to figures from the Department of Health."

Horrors! How can this be?

"Obesity could all be in the genes, scientists have discovered. "

How so, Sky News?

"A gene variant found in 16% of the population is thought to be responsible for exploding rates of obesity." "People who carry two of the gene variants are 70% more likely to be obese - and are likely to be 3kgs heavier on average."

OK. 16% of the population carry the gene variant. (Sky means that 16% of the population carries 2 copies of the variant, not 16% are carriers. Or so I assume.) So 16% are 70% more likely to be obese. And 20% of the population, 28% within three years, is obese. How is that "all in the genes"? And how does it explain the exploding? Are these genes detaching themselves and spreading through the air or something?

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