How much of body weight is determined by genetics?

Anywhere between 30 to 70% of our body weight is influenced by our genes. And the tendency to be obese is quite common among humans, as evident in high obesity rates, globally. This has led to the proposal of what is known as the thrifty gene hypothesis. read more

This is not to say that there are no genetic factors influencing body weight, different people will have different tendencies, to be lean, or not so lean, etc., just like height and other physical features are determined by many gene variants. read more

In the 1990s, studies done on identical twins indicated that genes pretty much determined adult shape and size. But new research is uncovering a more nuanced view. Some aspects of shape and size, it turns out, are more closely tied to genes than others. read more

In fact, your genetic code contains the blueprint for your body type and, more or less, the weight range that you can healthily maintain. Your body tends to stay in that range—which I will refer to as your set weight range—most of your adult life. read more

The Truth About Genetics and Weight Loss When it comes to weight loss, we often hear “Calories out must exceed calories in.” However, the weight bared at a physical appearance might come down to the way DNA is embedded at a cellular level. read more