READ MORE: Sickness rate of fat staff ‘seriously hampers economic growth’Scientists have discovered a genetic defect that makes you more likely to be overweight or obese – but there may be a cure.
People with the condition burn less energy while resting, giving them a massive disadvantage when trying to maintain a healthy weightIt’s hoped a cheap and widely available drug for thyroid dysfunction called levothyroxine may help obesity with the SMIM1 gene deficiency. ‘We are now hoping to run a clinical trial to find out whether a widely-available drug for thyroid supplementation may be beneficial in treating people who lack SMIM1.
Obesity affects around a quarter of all adults in the UK and increases the risk of conditions such as type 2 diabetes, stroke and coronary heart disease. Read More Revealed: More than a BILLION people worldwide are now obese - so how do rates fare in YOUR country? Using blood samples from both Vel negative and positive individuals, they also established that people with the SMIM1 deficiency often have other conditions linked to obesity.