"Lean Gene" May Lower Body Fat But Increase Risk of Heart Disease

Online, February 29, 2012 (Newswire.com) - Researchers at the UK's Medical Research Council Epidemiology Unit recently reported that being slim might not lower your risk of heart disease, diabetes or other metabolic disorders. They found a so-called "lean gene" which was linked to lower body fat but increased risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes.

After looking at over 75,000 people for genes associated with body fat, they found evidence linking a gene called IRS1 to lower levels of body fat. They also found that IRS1 was also associated with unhealthy levels of cholesterol and blood glucose levels. This seems to run counter to conventional wisdom about excess body fat.

"It seems that IRS1 was only linked to lower levels of subcutaneous fat, which is the visible fat under the skin, but not the more dangerous visceral fat which surrounds your organs in the abdominal cavity," say boomer generation health experts Dian Griesel, Ph.D., and Tom Griesel, authors of the new book TurboCharged: Accelerate Your Fat Burning Metabolism, Get Lean Fast and Leave Diet and Exercise Rules in the Dust (April 2011, BSH). "If your body needs to store fat, it has to put it somewhere. So what seems good is actually bad."

"Ever seen someone who looks lean but has a pot belly?" asks Dian. "They might have the IRS1 gene and subsequently be at higher risk. Looking healthy isn't enough. A fat belly-anything over 33 inches-should not be ignored, particularly if other bio or blood markers are not in healthy ranges. Over 17 million people die annually from heart disease, according to the World Health Organization. The number of people with diabetes has more than doubled in the last 20 years. A global obesity epidemic is driving a truly alarming surge in heart disease and type 2 diabetes. Having a truly lean body with optimal body composition, eliminating all excess subcutaneous and visceral fat is the key."

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