We all have traits that we can attribute specifically to one parent or the other. Like, I have my mom's eyes or my dad's sense of humor. Well, unfortunately folks we can inherit more than just dad's ability to have everyone on the ground laughing at family get-together. When in comes to obesity, there are certain genes that have been linked to weight gain.
One specific example is the protein kinase beta gene (PKC beta) which has been linked to rapid weight gain. This gene has been shown to be triggered by a high fat diet, meaning that environmental factors do also play a role. What you eat has an effect on more that just your body's need for an energy source. It is not completely clear how the mechanism works but speculation is that is has to do with the fat storage system.
Surely there are more genes out there that can be linked to obesity, but the important thing to remember is that it is not an all or nothing cause. It is a combination of things that lead to a person being obese.
It includes diet, activity level, genetics, and metabolism. A combination of poor diet and genetics favoring obesity leads some to be more succeptible than others. One mistake people make is to blame their condition on one lone cause rather than look at the big picture. It may be that you blame it on a slow metabolism, but you must look at what you eat to determine if you caused it to be slow, or if there is an underlying condition.
Yes, your parents may have passed along certain genetic information that makes you more likely to be obese, but is up to you and the decisions that you make that ultimately determine if you are at a healthy weight.
