Most Mexican Teens inherited their parents’ obesity

Currently, an estimated 35 percent of Mexican teenagers are more likely to become obese when they become adults themselves, according to a group of researchers that conducted a study at the Universidad Autónoma de San Luis Potosί.

Margarita Teran-Garcia, professor of food science and human nutrition from the same University claimed that those teens that got obese parents were already 15½ pounds heavier and 2 inches bigger around the waist than those who hadn’t. The blood sugar in their body is slightly higher than that of a normal teen.

The study got participants from 251 teens with age ranging from 18 to 25 years and got tested for risk alleles on the FTO gene as part of the Up Amigos project. The researchers followed their lives all through the University, wherein 10,000 students were enrolled so they can be compare it with other students based on body mass index (BMI), and eating and exercise habits to see how it influence their health over time.

Teran Garcia noted that the FTO gene is connected with the risk of obesity, escalated BMI, and escalated waist circumference. These traits lead to numerous health-related problems, which include some of the dreaded cardiovascular diseases like diabetes.

Among the teenagers that participated in the study, 15 percent of them got both parents that were obese. 20 percent got one parent that is obese, which means that they got one copy of the risk allele. The rest of the participants have slim parents.

The researcher noted that 85 percent of Hispanics in the United States have some Mexican heritage.

There were lots of studies conducted about obesity for Caucasians, Asians, and African-Americans, but only few studies have been conducted on the effect of inheriting the gene in Mexican and Mexican- American populations.

Scientists believe that there is still hope for these teens if they are willing to act. They need to exercise and eat healthy food if they want to fight obesity. These habit will help them live a happier and longer life as they become adults’ themselves.