A gene that consistently gets altered in obesity has been discovered by scientists.

Su looked at progressively larger groups of obese versus lean individuals and found LY86 consistently and highly chemically altered, or methylated, in the obese individuals.
"The association is solid; the methylation of this gene is important in obesity," Su said.
It’s known that obesity is highly inheritable; that if parents are obese, children are at higher risk.
"However environment, including high-fat foods and chemical exposure, can put you at risk as well," Su said.
Previously LY86 had been known as an inflammation gene and Su’s studies show, in fact, that it may be contributing to more than just obesity.
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This association also held up among a group of about 703 subjects that, like the general public, included obese, lean and average-weight individuals.
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