Issue of weight management and message framing in research: can we use exercise and diet to control the gene that makes us overweight?

I really like reading articles and stories from various fields like science, technology, and history to name a few, and I was reading the news this morning when I came across this article that talked about a research study that found out that people can overcome having a “fat gene” by exercising.

The study looked at a specific population , 704 Amish people, and looked at their overall lifestyle, physical activity, and diet. After reading this article, there are some questions that arise from this study. First, they have conducted research in a very unique population in the United States, and have made conclusions and statements about managing the “fat gene” based on this. I would suggest that they conduct the same study among different audiences to see if their results match with this study.

Also, it seems to me in this article that the researchers are generalizing their findings from their research group to the American population– and I think that the next step for them is to look at other audiences in the United States, conduct studies, and then they will have a foundation to develop their theory and research about the fat gene to become more concrete.

Exercise is very important to maintaining a healthy lifestyle, but there are other elements to consider as well. I would have to say that over the past several years, my family and I have become very active in managing our weight and changing our eating lifestyle. It has been almost two years since Mom, Dad, Kris, and I started on the Jenny Craig program, and we have had fantastic results! As a family, we have lost over 230 lbs!!! The great thing about Jenny Craig is that they do promote this healthy lifestyle of eating right and being active, and I can say from personal experience– it’s been very beneficial!

The key thing about this recent study is that it says that if people are active, then they will lose weight— but that is only part of the equation. If you can eat healthy, watch what types of foods you eat, and exercise– then you will be good!

Hope you all are having a great day!

Best Wishes,

Karen