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Posted by: Technoxious
Posted by: Swagoth Ur
The biggest effect genes can have on something like that is by making a person more likely to hold onto weight due to a slow metabolic rate.
Still fat doesn't just grow out of nowhere. To actually get fat, you need to eat more than what you use. The only variation between people is how many calories they use on adverage.
The closest thing to a 'fat' disease is Hypothyroidism, where a lack of thyroid hormone causes a very slow metabolic rate. The key thing though is that it doesn't cause people to be fat, it makes it so they don't use as much energy as others, and fat comes from unused energy.
Genes also control our appetitie/satiety, how easily we put on muscle, how easily we put on fat, and a bunch of other things that affect exercise and the mind.
Genetics play a big part, and so does the environment. Unlike things like attraction or body type, fat is determined by actively eating more food than your body uses. Some people have predispositions to having high appetites, but for most it is the result of being fed too much in developement, causing the body to adjust to the high intake levels
I guess what i'm really saying is that I find it highly unlikely that half the population of the US has genes that cause appetite to be so strong they can't control it. Obese people especially really cross that line.