In a revealing study that sheds light on the intricate interplay between genetics and lifestyle, Vanderbilt University Medical Center researchers have discovered that individuals with a higher genetic risk for obesity may need to engage in significantly more physical activity than those with lower risk to ward off the condition.
The study’s researchers utilized data from the National Institutes of Health’s All of Us Research Program, including activity, clinical, and genetic information, to investigate how genetic predisposition to higher body mass index (BMI) correlates with the level of physical activity required to decrease the likelihood of developing obesity.
Senior author Dr. Douglas Ruderfer, who is an associate professor of Medicine in the Division of Genetic Medicine and director of the Center for Digital Genomic Medicine at VUMC, emphasized that current physical activity guidelines fail to consider individual differences. He stated, “Genetic background contributes to the amount of physical activity needed to mitigate obesity. The higher the genetic risk, the more steps needed per day.”
Dr. Ruderfer further noted, “I think an important component to this result is that individuals can be active enough to account for their genetic background, or their genetic risk for obesity, regardless of how high that risk might be.”
The study included 3,124 middle-aged participants without obesity who wore Fitbit devices and averaged 8,326 daily steps over a median period of more than five years. During the study period, the incidence of obesity ranged from 13% to 43% across different polygenic risk score groups.
According to the study, individuals in the 75th percentile of polygenic risk score would need to walk an additional 2,280 steps per day (totaling 11,020 steps per day) compared to those in the 50th percentile to achieve a similar obesity risk level.
For individuals with baseline BMIs of 22, 24, 26, and 28 who were in the 75th percentile of polygenic risk score, they would need to walk additional 3,460, 4,430, 5,380, and 6,350 steps per day, respectively, to reach a comparable obesity risk to individuals in the 25th percentile.
Lead author Dr. Evan Brittain, who is an associate professor of Medicine in the Division of Cardiovascular Medicine at VUMC and lead investigator in Digital Health for the All of Us Research Program Data and Research Center, highlighted the novelty of the study’s findings. He remarked, “I think it is intuitive that individuals who have a higher genetic risk of obesity might need to have more physical activity to reduce that risk, but what is new and important from this study is that we were able to put a number on the amount of activity needed to reduce the risk.”
With the increasing availability of genetic information in the genomic era, individuals are becoming more aware of their genetic predisposition to obesity, raising the possibility of integrating this data with electronic health records for personalized physical activity recommendations.
The study authors aim to validate their findings across diverse populations to assess the effectiveness of providing personalized activity recommendations in reducing obesity risk and improving overall health. They emphasize the potential empowerment of patients by highlighting that genetic risk doesn’t solely determine obesity risk, and increased physical activity can mitigate this risk, challenging the current one-size-fits-all approach of physical activity guidelines.
Relevant articles:
– Persons with a higher genetic risk of obesity need to work out harder than those of moderate or low genetic risk to avoid becoming obese
– Higher genetic risk of obesity means working out harder for same results, study shows, Medical Xpress, Wed, 27 Mar 2024 15:00:01 GMT
– People at high risk for obesity may need to get in more than 14,500 steps a day, new study says. Here’s what to know., Yahoo Life, Wed, 27 Mar 2024 15:00:14 GMT
– Some people need to work out 73 percent harder than others for same weight loss results, study finds, Daily Mail, Wed, 27 Mar 2024 15:24:00 GMT