Thinness genetic?

Tuesday October 4th, 2011

Thin children are likely to have thin parents - and there may be a genetic cause, British researchers said last night.

A study of more than 7,000 families conducted at University College London has shown a strong link between the size of parents and that of their children.

Researchers focused on thinness, arguing that it is less likely purely to be determined by family eating habits and lifestyle - which in itself may have genetic factors.

The latest findings were reported in the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine.

During the research about five per cent of children and teenagers were classified as thin.

Researchers found that having slender parents doubled the chances a child would be thin - although in total only 16 per cent of children of these parents were found to be thin.

Researcher Professor Jane Wardle said: "Parents are often concerned if their child is thin, but it may just be their skinny genes.

"All genes have two versions, called alleles. We might think of weight-related genes as having a 'skinny' and 'curvy' allele. Thinner parents are likely to have more of the skinny alleles, increasing the chance of passing them on to their children.

"A child who inherits more of the skinny alleles from their parents will be naturally thinner."

The Intergenerational Transmission of Thinness. Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine October 3 2011

Tags: Child Health | Diet & Food | Genetics | UK News

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