Physical Activity and the Association of Common FTO Gene Variants With Body Mass Index and Obesity
Evadnie Rampersaud, MSPH, PhD; Braxton D. Mitchell, PhD; Toni I. Pollin, PhD; Mao Fu, PhD; Haiqing Shen, PhD; Jeffery R. O’Connell, PhD; Julie L. Ducharme, MD; Scott Hines, MD; Paul Sack, MD; Rosalie Naglieri, MD; Alan R. Shuldiner, MD; Soren Snitker, MD, PhD
Arch Intern Med. 2008;168(16):1791-1797.

Background Common FTO (fat mass and obesity associated) gene variants have recently been associated with body mass index (BMI) and obesity in several large studies. The role of lifestyle factors (such as physical activity) in those with an underlying FTO genetic predisposition is unknown.

Methods To determine if FTO variants are associated with BMI in Old Order Amish (OOA) individuals, and to further determine whether the detrimental associations of FTO gene variants can be lessened by increased physical activity, a total of 704 healthy OOA adults were selected from the Heredity and Phenotype Intervention (HAPI) Heart Study, an investigation of gene x environment interactions in cardiovascular disease, for whom objective quantified physical activity measurements were available and for whom 92 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in FTO were genotyped.

Results Twenty-six FTO SNPs were associated with BMI (P = .04 to

Conclusions  Our results strongly suggest that the increased risk of obesity owing to genetic susceptibility by FTO variants can be blunted through physical activity. These findings emphasize the important role of physical activity in public health efforts to combat obesity, particularly in genetically susceptible individuals.

Obesity Genes and Physical Activity, An Interview with Dr. Evadnie Rampersaud - Fitness Rocks Podcast 114

drmonte

If genetic sequencing of test subjects in experiments were mandatory in the FDA approval process it might be possible to link the efficacy of drugs to certain genotypes, and in the process use drugs that are clinically effective and safe for those populations, and/or not use drugs that seem statistically unsafe for others. There are effective drugs which aren’t used because they are lethal or unhealthy to small numbers of people, so they are banned, but the source of that lethality may be related to a genetic factor.

Similarly some approved drugs could be used more appropriately. A friend of mine had her life destroyed taking Accutane for a mild case of acne, as prescribed by a dermatologist, became severely ill, and has not recovered after five years. This drug is allowed despite such known problems because they are rare. It would be nice to protect people for whom such events are more likely.

This is all based on probability, and doesn’t account for all other relevant factors, but is still worthwhile.

you could make identical (gelatin?) capsules containing a dose of flaxseed oil, a placebo (e.g. water) and olive oil. Store them on identical plates (one plate for each) so that they are indistinguishable from each other by touch alone and then blindfold yourself as you reach down to take one randomly - use a webcam to record which one you’re taking.

The only problem here is that you know there’s a chance of placebo, and as i remember from my health psychology lectures this has been shown to have an effect (infact, some studies indicate that even the doctor knowing they are prescribing a placebo has an effect on the patient - i can probably dig up the reference for this if you want..)