With Obesity, We Have A PR Problem (Personal Responsibility, that is)

From Reuters: 

Scientists have found that a gene linked to diabetes and cholesterol is a “master switch” that controls other genes found in fat in the body, and say it should help in the search for treatments for obesity-related diseases.


From Will:
Common sense has discovered that obesity is self-inflicted, and there is a “master switch” that causes 95% of all obesity. This new master switch is a breakthrough in health and is called, behavior. Will says that this crazy new finding should be helpful in reversing obesity, and the parade of metabolic problems that it produces. 


The bottom line to our Bottom Lines is this: 
When we eat poorly in quality, and quantity, this eating pattern produces health problems. The solution to the problem is NOT to invent a biological workaround by manipulating your genes. How crazy is that?   


I think this line of research is popular because it feeds the idea that we are not responsible for obesity. It’s not us … really. It’s something other than the food decisions I have made — and your genes represent a perfect scapegoat to let us pass the biological buck. 


Caveat
Not all obesity is self-inflicted. One estimate I read pinned the number at about 5% — that is, about 5% of the population can attribute their overweight/obesity to causes outside their behavior. Not their fault. For the rest of us? Big broad middle of that bell curve of people of adiposity? We did it to ourselves by eating FAUX foods, and eating too much. 


The solution to a behavioral problem is a behavioral solution.    


Scientists find master switch gene for obesity | Reuters