Genetic & epigenetic approach to human obesity

Area of Science:

• Genetics and Public Health
• Metabolic Disorders Research

Background:

• Obesity is a significant clinical and public health concern, characterized by excess adipose tissue due to energy imbalance.
• It is a precursor to numerous serious health conditions, including type-2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, certain cancers, stroke, and hyperlipidemia, and can lead to premature death.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review strategies for analyzing genetic variations in human obesity.
• To highlight advancements in Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) for identifying genetic risks and markers for obesity.
• To explore the influence of ethnic and racial genetic variations on obesity susceptibility.

Main Methods:

• Review of recent advancements in genome-wide and functional variation analyses in human obesity.
• Analysis of data from Genome-wide association studies (GWAS).
• Examination of the Human Obesity Gene Map for quantitative trait loci (QTL).

Main Results:

• Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have significantly advanced the identification of genetic risks for obesity.
• The Human Obesity Gene Map identifies 253 quantitative trait loci (QTL) for obesity-related phenotypes from 61 genome-wide scan studies.
• Genetic propensity and ethnic variations play a role in obesity susceptibility.

Conclusions:

• Understanding the genetic complexity of obesity is crucial for developing effective prevention and treatment strategies.
• Further research into genetic variations can enhance our comprehension of obesity's etiology.
• Genetic analysis provides insights into individual susceptibility to obesity.