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Not seeing exercise results? It could be your genes

Genetics could play a role in exercise results. Photo: Getty

If you’re pushing yourself on the treadmill but not seeing results? Your genes could be partly to blame.

A new study published in the journal Obesity found that women who had certain genetic markers gained weight after following a strength-training regimen for one year, where women who didn’t show that genetic marker lost weight after completing the same exercise program.

According to study author Yann Klimentidis, an assistant professor of epidemiology and biostatistics at the University of Arizona in the US, the results suggest that women with a genetic predisposition to obesity may need to exercise more to achieve weight loss results.

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“There is just a higher wall to climb if you have a high genetic predisposition [for obesity],” he said. And if you do have a genetic predisposition, that doesn’t mean you should give up altogether. “Exercise is good [for your health] in lots of ways, not just body composition and weight,” he said.

During the 12-month study, researchers analysed DNA samples from 84 women aged 30 to 65, specifically examining genes connected to obesity. All women had to engage in high-intensity resistant exercise and moderate-impact exercise with weights for at least one hour, three days per week.

Exercise had a greater effect on weight loss and body fat composition in those whose genetic predisposition to obesity was lower. Women whose genes put them at a high risk of obesity gained an average of 1.2kg over the year, while those without the genetic risk lost an average of 1.3kg. They also lost 2.7 per cent body fat, while those at high risk of obesity maintained their body fat percentage.

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It’s worth nothing that participants were asked not to change their diets throughout the study, and their BMIs ranged from 19 (normal) to 33 (obese).

The study shows that “the benefit that one might get from exercise is going to depend on their genetic risk,” Klimentidis said, however it doesn’t explore the role that a healthy diet plays in weight loss and managing obesity.

Pairing a daily exercise regimen with clean eating could be just what you need to unlock your weight loss potential.


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