How New Gene Findings Help Explain Your Weight and Body Shape

(Oct. 11) -- Nutritious food and adequate exercise can't entirely trump genetics where weight -- and where it ends up on your body -- is concerned.

It's a reality that researchers have known for years, but one that's been reinforced by a new discovery of over 30 different genetic variations implicated in body composition and shape.

What Are the Latest Findings?

In a study published in Nature Genetics, an international team composed of 400 scientists runs down variations in DNA sequences that are tied to body weight.

Some of the sequences seem to affect one's vulnerability to weight gain. By scanning the genomes of 250,000 people, the team found 18 new DNA sequences associated with a higher body mass index.

And 13 other genetic variations appear to determine where we store fat. Those of us designated "apples" store mass in our abdomens, while "pears" have more fat in the thighs and buttocks.

What Role Can Lifestyle Play?

Despite the findings, how you live is still a major determinant of body weight and whether you're storing excess fat.

"We should not forget that, while the genetic contribution to obesity is substantial, a large part of obesity susceptibility remains down to our lifestyle," Ruth Loos, with the Medical Research Council's Epidemiology Unit in Cambridge, told Reuters.

But the role of lifestyle might differ between men and women. The genetic variations appear to have a greater effect among women, meaning that the fairer sex might have a tougher time trumping genetics with prudent lifestyle choices.

Boo! I'm an Apple and Wish I Was a Pear

For now, your best bet is to eat well, exercise and embrace your body's designated fruit.

But body composition is about much more than just vanity.

Those who store fat in their abdominal region face increased risk of health problems like diabetes, making the genetic discovery a potential catalyst for medical intervention that can reorient where we store fat.

First, however, researchers need to determine exactly how the genes work -- because not everyone with the variations becomes overweight or obese.

"The prediction is not much better than just flipping a coin," Loos told Health Day.

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