Is obesity hereditary? | Peter Attia & Wendy Chung

This clip is from episode # 268 - Genetics: testing, therapy, editing, association with disease risk, autism, and more | Wendy Chung, M.D., Ph.D.

In this episode, Peter is joined by Wendy Chung, M.D., P.h.D., a board-certified clinical and molecular geneticist with more than 25 years of experience in human genetic disease research.

In this clip, we discuss:

- Complex diseases that have genetic components
- The heritability of obesity
- What are epigenetics and how do they relate to obesity
- And more

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About:

The Peter Attia Drive is a deep-dive podcast focusing on maximizing longevity, and all that goes into that from physical to cognitive to emotional health. With over 70 million episodes downloaded, it features topics including exercise, nutritional biochemistry, cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer’s disease, cancer, mental health, and much more.

Peter Attia is the founder of Early Medical, a medical practice that applies the principles of Medicine 3.0 to patients with the goal of lengthening their lifespan and simultaneously improving their healthspan.

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[eq]

What is the methodology of determining Heritable rates? Observation of genetically-related individuals? How does this control for nurture over nature (learned behavior within family vs something in the DNA)? Also, is it a predisposition or a guarantee? Ex: i may have a hereditary predisposition for alcoholism (runs for generations in my family), but my father, brother and I are stone sober despite the propensity. Takes discipline, wisdom, self-denial, self-awareness…but we’re not going down that path. It seems that building a philosophical foundation based not on inheritability of obesity, but on inheritability of predisposition matters because it makes genetics an explanation (requiring responsible action) rather than an excuse (a justification for poor actions).

[t.c.s.]

Strange that the genetic heritability of obesity was not seen fifty years ago.

[NimaCommunicate]

Genetics aside, wondering what your take is on swimming and exercise in water - ie resistance, not only swimming. Is this a priority?
eg muscle building + stability + aqua workouts, eg against a jet/ resistance.
I assume you no longer swim due to your shoulder injury... looking at surface headlines, swimming/ workouts in water have favourable outcomes re longevity is seems...

[PappaMustafa]

I can feel Dr. Attia's skin crawl. He knows the truth.

[debra]

I wish I could understand the way things are explained in these videos. They could help me so much but it's not geared for the average non-medical person.

[bobbyj]

There needs to be a different way to talk about this. When you say genetic people think of that and say it's not their fault or choice. But that's almost always false. Your body may want to hold more energy and is more efficient at storing and spending energy but obesity is not pre-determined. We should stop referring to obesity as hereditary and be more specific, energy storage efficiency is hereditary. Obesity is what happens when you consume more than you spend over long periods of time. How much you consume is always your choice.

[DavidRoetman]

You lose weight if you are in a caloric deficit despite what genetic code you have. The same way gravity works everytime

[rebeccacarraway]

Sorry—can’t agree about statins. Not necessary.

[sallycastillo]

Why would he even give her time to spew this nonsense.

[marcofilipe]

No., there is a genetic component on the body shape(meso, endo or ectomorphic) HOWEVER any of these types can be relativelly lean by eating less and move more.This is known for a long time.If obesity were genetic you would see a person not eating and getting 1000lb

[dsdgdsfegfeg]

2 things, obviously genetics isn't causing the obesity.
Also : most commentators missunderstand what the terms used here actually mean like - 50% heridetabilty - that doesn't mean what you think it means 😮‍💨