New research suggests that individuals with obesity risk genes may experience increased hunger and a loss of control over their eating. However, the study also found that practicing dietary restraint could help mitigate these effects.
The research, conducted by the University of Exeter, Exeter Clinical Research Facility, and the University of Bristol, with support from the Medical Research Council Doctoral Training Partnership, was published in the International Journal of Epidemiology. The study discovered that individuals with a higher genetic risk of obesity could reduce the impact of hunger and impulsive eating by up to 50% through practicing dietary restraint.
The study, titled “Mediation and moderation of genetic risk to obesity through eating behaviors in two UK cohorts,” examined the influence of two types of dietary restraint, rigid and flexible, on individuals with obesity risk genes. The lead author of the study, Shahina Begum, a Psychology PhD student at the University of Exeter, emphasized the importance of understanding how genes influence body mass index (BMI) in a society where high-calorie foods are heavily marketed. The study found that increasing both types of dietary restraint could potentially improve BMI in individuals genetically at risk, indicating that restraint-based interventions could be effective in addressing the problem.
Genes associated with obesity have been found to increase BMI, with hunger and uncontrolled eating explaining up to 25% of this effect. Over 900 genes have been identified as being linked to BMI, and research suggests that these genes influence feelings of hunger and loss of control over food.
The study included 3,780 adults from two UK cohorts, the Genetics of Appetite Study and the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children. Participants’ weight and height were measured, and their genetic risk of obesity was calculated based on DNA samples. Questionnaires were used to measure various eating behaviors, including disinhibition and overeating due to hunger.
The results showed that individuals with a higher genetic risk score had a higher BMI, partly due to increased disinhibition and hunger. However, the study also found that those who practiced high levels of dietary restraint were able to reduce the impact of disinhibition by nearly 50% and hunger by one-third, suggesting that restraint can counteract some of the effects of genetic risk.
The study highlighted that there are different types of dietary restraint, including flexible strategies and rigid strategies, and both types showed potential for improving BMI in individuals genetically at risk.
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