研究顯示 減肥失敗不能再責怪基因了!

People with a gene linked to weight gain are just as likely to benefit from weight loss programmes as those without, researchers have discovered.

研究人員發現，攜帶有肥胖基因的人減肥後的效果與未攜帶該基因的個體減肥的效果基本上是一樣的。

The findings suggest diet, exercise and drug-based approaches to losing weight can be widely beneficial, even if some people may have a greater risk of piling on the pounds due to their genetics. In short, your DNA is not a barrier to weight loss.

該研究表明，雖然有些人可能因爲某些基因更容易變胖，但是節食、運動以及以服藥爲基礎的減肥方法總體上來說還是很有效果的，總而言之，你的DNA完全不會影響你減肥。

While many genes are believed to affect body weight, a particular version of the so-called FTO gene shows one of the strongest associations with fat gain.

然而人們相信有好多種基因會影響體重，其中增肥效果最強的就是某種被稱之爲FTO基因的特殊變異。

Those carrying two copies of the genetic variant – about 16% of the population – are on average 3kg heavier than those without, and 1.7 times more likely to be obese.

攜帶這種基因變異的兩種副本的人數約佔人羣的16%，他們會比無變異副本的人平均重3公斤，而且肥胖機率是普通人的1.7倍

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While it is not known exactly how the genetic variant promotes weight gain, it is believed to increase the appeal of high-calorie foods and reduce the feeling of fullness after a meal.

雖然人們並不完全清楚FTO基因突變是如何影響體重的，不過人們相信這些基因段會增加人們對高卡路里食物的偏好、減少餐後的飽腹感。

But whether it also affects efforts to shed pounds has been a matter of debate.

但是一直以來人們對它是否會影響減肥效果存有爭議。

"It has become clear that genetics play a part in the reason why some of us get fatter," said John Mathers, lead author of the research from Newcastle University.

該項研究領頭人、來自紐卡斯爾大學的約翰·馬瑟斯說："衆所周知，基因在我們變胖的過程中扮演着重要的角色。"

"The one that has the biggest effect in most people is the FTO gene, so we wondered whether having the high-risk version of the FTO gene would affect how well you could lose weight."

"而其中最有影響力的便是FTO基因，所以我們就想知道，高危FTO突變基因中對減肥會有多大的影響。"

Writing in the British Medical Journal, Mathers and an international team of collaborators describe how they analysed eight previously published randomised control trials involving a total of more than 9,500 overweight or obese adults to investigate whether carrying the obesity-linked version of the FTO gene affects the ability to lose weight.

馬瑟斯在《英國醫學雜誌》裏描述了他和一個國際合作團隊，如何通過分析前人曾發表過的八項隨機對照試驗的結果，來調查攜帶肥胖FTO基因突變是否會影響人們減肥的能力。這八項實驗共涵蓋了9500多個超重或肥胖的成年研究對象。

In all of the studies, the participants were tested to discover whether they carried the genetic variant, and whether they had one copy or two, but the results were not disclosed to the participants.

在所有的研究中，研究者們均測試了研究對象是否攜帶該基因變異，以及他們是否攜帶有一個或兩個變異基因副本，但測試結果並沒有告知被測試者。

The researchers found that for each copy of the high-risk gene the participants possessed, they were, on average, almost 0.9kg heavier.

研究人員發現，平均每一個攜帶高危基因者比未攜帶者重約0.9kg。

TThe participants took part in a variety of weight-loss programmes, including diet-based, exercise-based and drug-based approaches.

被測試者參加了各種各樣的減肥活動，包括以節食，運動和藥物爲基礎的方法。

"To our surprise, we discovered that carrying the high-risk FTO gene made no difference to your ability to lose weight."

"讓我們吃驚的是，我們發現攜帶高危FTO突變基因並不影響人們減肥的能力。"

"So people lost weight at just the same rate if they had the high-risk version of the FTO gene as if they didn't," said Mathers.

"因此不管人們是否攜帶該突變基因，他們減肥的速度是一樣的。"馬瑟斯說。

"There was no link between the type of the intervention – so whether the people were losing weight through diet or physical activity – and the gene. It seemed to work equally well."

"實驗的干擾項和基因沒有任何關係，因此，不管基因是怎樣的，無論是通過節食還是運動，人們減肥的效果好像都一樣的。"

Sex and ethnicity, the authors said, did not affect the rate of weight loss, although they noted there was a lack of participants of Asian descent.

雖然文章作者有提及，該項研究中並沒有亞洲居民參與進來，但是他們聲稱，人的性別與種族對減肥速度並沒有什麼影響。

The studies, added Mathers, did not show whether carrying the obesity-linked version of the FTO gene affects whether weight loss was sustained, as the longest follow-up time was three years.

而馬瑟斯補充說，在該項研究中，實驗隨訪時間最長的是3年，但是也並沒有發現攜帶有肥胖相關的FTO基因對減肥效果有任何影響。

Dr Jude Oben, co-founder of the Obesity Action Campaign and senior lecturer in hepatology at University College London, welcomed the results.

英國對抗肥胖運動的發起人之一，倫敦大學學院肝臟科高級講師裘德·奧本博士對這項研究結果表示欣慰，

"Obesity is costing the NHS 16bn pounds a year. We at Obesity Action Campaign are alarmed by this."

他說："每年由於肥胖引發的問題需要花英國國民健康保險（NHS）160億英鎊。"

"Obesity causes cancer, diabetes, heart disease and liver cirrhosis. It is the HIV of our age. It is killing millions of our patients," he said.

"在對抗肥胖運動中，我們對這個現狀感到震驚。肥胖會導致癌症、糖尿病、心臟病以及肝硬化，肥胖就是我們這個時代的艾滋病毒，數以百萬的人正因此喪命。"

"That this size of study and its robust statistical methodologies support common sense is great. "

"這項研究通過龐大的調查規模以及詳實可靠的統計數據來支撐一個常識，這一點很了不起。"

"It means that general weight loss strategies which must involve the psychological, nutritional, physical and policy changes should be developed."

"由此我們可知，我們應該制定出會給人們的心理健康、養生觀念、身體健康甚至政府政策帶來改變的原則性的減肥策略。"