We notice that some people are overweight in spite of eating very less while some do not gain weight at all regardless of what they eat. The belief in genetic obesity is still around. But is that genes that really make you fat? Can having skinny parents make you skinny?

The FTO gene was identified in 2007 that apparently explained the reason why some people remain overweight while some do not.

The “yes” and “no” about the existence of a “fat gene” has been going on for a while now. Finally, some reassuring news come from Düsseldorf University in Germany which would again lead to a lot of questions and controversies. The new results point out that the FTO gene may regulate the metabolism in a person making him leaner. Now the world of science is looking forward to the positive effects FTO can bring out if inhibited in humans. This new finding may pave way to new medicines with FTO which may reduce obesity and weight-related disorders.

Despite all the scientific endeavors the common public still believes that there is a lot more than just genetics.

-Aparna K V