Genetic link between asthma and obesity

Reported by Susan Aldridge, PhD, medical journalist

There is a genetic association between asthma and obesity, according to a new twin-based study.
It is already known that obese people are more likely to also have asthma. Now researchers at the University of Washington at Seattle reveal that there is a large genetic contribution to this link.

They studied 1001 identical and 383 non-identical same sex twin pairs and found that most of the link between obesity and asthma can be explained by genetic factors. The genes themselves, however, remain unidentified. There has also been a big increase in both obesity and asthma in recent years. The researchers think that some individuals, with a specific genetic makeup, may be susceptible to exposure to environmental factors which increase the risk of asthma and obesity.

Source
Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology December 2005

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