Your Genes Can Help You Fit in Your Jeans

The reality of weight loss

Everyone is aware of certain persons who can consume cake, ice cream, and other foods without gaining weight. People who appear to gain weight regardless of how little they consume represent the opposite extreme. Why? What contributes to obesity? Is it easier for some people to go through a weight loss journey? What makes it possible for one person to maintain their weight without exerting any effort while requiring another to work hard to maintain their weight or lose any pounds they may have previously lost? 

On a very basic level, your weight is determined by how many calories you eat, how many of those calories you retain, and how many calories you expend each day. But a mix of genes and environmental factors affect each of these variables. Both have the potential to influence both your behaviour and physiology (such as how quickly you burn calories) (the types of foods you choose to eat, for instance). The interaction of all these elements starts at the moment of conception and lasts the rest of your life.

The Calorie Equation

Your genetic makeup, degree of physical activity, and resting energy expenditure all play a role in how many calories you retain and burn (the number of calories your body burns while at rest). You will keep your weight in check if you constantly burn off all of the calories you take in each day. You will put on weight if you consume more energy (calories) than you burn. Any extra calories are deposited as fat throughout your body. Your body stores this fat in specialised fat cells (adipose tissue), either by expanding the already-existing fat cells or by producing new ones. Your body will lower part of its fat reserves if you eat less food and burn more calories than you take in, or if you exercise more and burn more calories. Your waistline and fat cells both contract as a result.

Genetic equation and weight loss

Although more than 400 distinct genes have been linked to the development of overweight or obesity, only a few numbers stand out as being significant contributors. Genes influence a variety of factors that lead to obesity, including hunger, satiety (the feeling of fullness), metabolism, food cravings, the distribution of body fat, and the propensity to use food as a coping mechanism. 

Depending on the individual, the hereditary effect on weight issues may be weaker or stronger. According to research, some people’s genetic tendency to be overweight may only be 25% due to genes, while for others it may be as high as 70% to 80%. Understanding your genes can aid your weight loss journey and reaching your fitness goals. Genes play a significant role in how you manage your weight and fitness goals. Research suggests that if there is a history of obesity in your family, your chances of being overweight are up to 80%. 

How do I take a DNA test?

People may find out about their genetic composition and general health risks with an at-home DNA test kit. Typically, a person will give a saliva sample or a cheek swab to a laboratory for examination. An at-home DNA test kit may be purchased without a doctor’s prescription and is generally accessible to order online. myPreciseDNA can be purchased online starting from RM 868.

A successful weight loss effort through DNA tests

Knowing which genes are associated with obesity might help you determine whether you are predisposed genetically to having a greater fat content. Genetic factors have a direct impact on your ability to control hormones and fat cell activities, which dictate how your body consumes or metabolises fat. As your genetic risk for obesity grows, so do your chances of developing physiological conditions associated with obesity. If your lifestyle and eating habits are unhealthy in addition to your hereditary risk, you will inevitably experience an early onset of several diseases. 

You may determine your probability of being obese by getting a DNA test that contains several features connected to managing your weight, metabolic disorders, and illnesses associated with obesity and the regulation of fat. This is especially crucial for those who have a history of obesity since there is an 80% probability that you will become fat if both of your parents are obese. Fortunately, there are several DNA tests available thanks to advances in genomics. An at-home DNA test kit with 129 features and 15 categories is called MyPreciseDNA, for instance. The categories cover characteristics like obesity, diabetes, and fat sensitivity, and even estimate the potential effectiveness of a low-fat diet. Finding the best diet to lead a healthy, active lifestyle will be made easier for you with the aid of a DNA test.

Learn more about how our DNA test can help you. It’s considered the most advanced DNA test in Malaysia that we can provide, so we’d like to offer you our premium DNA test. You can take advantage of this offer and reap the benefits of getting a DNA test.