Brain gene is tied to obesity
By John Travis
Researchers studying the DNA of people in Finland and Sweden have amassed evidence that a gene involved in brain chemistry influences whether a person is thin or fat.
Few specific genes have been convincingly linked to human obesity. A research team headed by Päivi Pajukanta of the University of California, Los Angeles now points the finger at one called solute carrier family 6 member 14 (SLC6A14).
The investigators originally studied obese and thin siblings within a group of Finnish families.