Of genes and tight jeans

By Ken West
Published: December 1, 2008

New Orleans celebrates Fat Tuesday. Throughout the rest of the United States, we celebrate Fat December.

Don’t wait for Jan. 1 to begin your fight to control your weight. According to experts, to win this war you need to prevent the “December — Add 10 (Pounds).”

I can already imagine how the wonderfully celebratory people with whom I work will soon be sharing their fabulous culinary creations. Hardly a day will go by that cakes, homemade desserts and tempting goodies won’t be set out for all of us to enjoy before the holidays.

According to research, women are more likely than men to nibble on these holiday treats throughout the day. With every nibble, the challenge of a future New Year’s weight resolution grows as quickly as one’s waistline.

“When faced with long hours at work, women snack more on high-fat, high-sugar treats, consume more caffeinated drinks and exercise less,” researchers reported in the Monitor. When their workload increases, women who return home to care for children and to cook for the family feel increasingly stressed. As a result, women tend to eat more and exercise less at home, too.

On the other hand, men tend to be mood eaters. The length of their work day and the stress of work contribute less to their eating habits than being in a good or bad mood. If they feel good, they can march by office pastries without feeling tempted (Monitor).

What’s to be done? We all know the answer by now: Eat fruit and healthy snacks while at work, and exercise more. The problem is, apples just aren’t as good as your colleague’s homemade brownies, particularly when the stress of the holiday season rises.

Weight is not fair
Weight is no fairer than life itself. You probably know people who seem to lose weight by just thinking about a diet. Others gain weight quickly and shed pounds slowly even when they maintain a strict diet. At least a few of those who struggle to lose weight can blame it on variations of the gene FTO.

Scientists recently discovered that many overweight individuals have a “new genetic variant in common, occurring in 10 percent of European and African American populations. ... Those who inherit two copies of the variant, one from each parent, have a 22 percent extra risk of becoming obese,” researchers told The New York Times.

Professor Graham Hitman of Queen Mary’s Institute at the University of London found that people with this variant not only gain weight faster but also they lose it more slowly. He cautions people to be slow to blame people who struggle with their weight.

“We currently live in a blame culture (that believes that when) people gain weight it is entirely their fault…. This (research) confirms that whilst improving lifestyle is still the key to reducing the obesity epidemic, some people will find it harder to change their weight than others because of their genes. In the future when we know more about the function of this gene (FTO) we may also be able to help people to lose weight more effectively despite their genes,” according to a November research report from Queen Mary’s Institute.

What can be done?
Most Americans will never know if they have a genetic predisposition to gain weight. Nevertheless, controlling weight is in all of our best interests.

A strong link exists between obesity and a wide variety of serious diseases including high blood pressure and colon cancer. Children also need healthy diets and exercise. In fact, USA TODAY recently reported that the number of obese children who are now medically treated for type 2 diabetes, which is linked to obesity, doubled between 2002 and 2005.

To help, take fruits and veggies to work, and walk past the snacks. Eat fewer breads, sweets and deserts. Exercise more.
It all sounds so easy. But during December when stress rises and more empty calories are available, nothing is more difficult than dieting. Nevertheless, for your long-term health, December may be the best month of the year to change your eating habits at work and at home.