A genetic mutation may be the real reason overweight children cannot shift the pounds

"This is the first evidence that copy number variants have been linked to a metabolic condition such as obesity," said Dr Matt Hurles from the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, one of the leaders of the study. Findings show for the first time that the condition can be a genetic one, rather than the result of over feeding. Dr Sadaf Farooqi from Cambridge University added: "This study shows that severe obesity is a serious medical issue that deserves scientific investigation. "It adds to the growing weight of evidence that a wide range of genetic variants can produce a strong drive to eat.



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