No single effective target for tackling obesity risk, new study shows

A new study has indicated that there is no "silver bullet" solution for tackling people's obesity risk.

The University of Exeter Medical School has offered evidence that no single aspect of diet or lifestyle can be targeted as an effective means of reducing the danger of obesity in adults with a high genetic risk of putting on weight.

Assessing data from 120,000 individuals from the UK Biobank, the research instead showed that many fattening aspects of the environment, lifestyle and behaviour can interact with genetic factors to influence weight, with the strongest influence being from poverty.

Socioeconomic influence on diet and activity levels has been shown by previous research, but this study provided the strongest evidence to date that such effects are strongest in people with the highest genetic risk of obesity.

As such, it was suggested that focusing obesity policy on specific aspects – such as the consumption of fizzy drinks or fried food – may not be effective.

Study leader Dr Jessica Tyrrell said: "The data is consistent with proposals that public health measures should aim to alter all aspects of these fattening factors in small ways to have more impact in lowering levels of obesity and type 2 diabetes."

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