Eniko Mihalik by David Vasiljevic for Bon International S/S 2010A cohort study of 20,430 people living in Norwich, UK offers promising news in the fight against a genetic disposition towards obesity. It’s true that some people inherit genes that propel them into a state of obesity, compared to others.

What’s not true is that humans can do nothing about this unfortunate, inherited tendency to be fat.

The research, carried out by Dr. Ruth Loos from the Medical Research Council Epidemiology Unit in Cambridge, United Kingdom, and colleagues, published in PLoS Medicine suggests that the genetic predisposition to obesity can be reduced by an average of 40% through increased physical activity. via Science Daily

Researchers examined different genetic variants known to increase the risk towards obesity, assigning a ‘genetic predisposition score’ to individuals in the group.