Researchers have recently stated that even if genetics play a main role in obesity, this weight problem can be overcame with regular exercise and physical activity. Physical exercise can really decrease the impact the genetics have on obesity. The particular gene known as fat mass and obesity associated (FTO) is also known to be in relation with a high body mass index.

The new study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine was made by Evadnie Rampersaud, MSPH, PhD, then of the University of Maryland School of Medicine and now of the University of Miami, together colleagues of his. They discovered that a person’s lifestyle affects the weight of the ones who already have predisposition to overweight.

The researchers looked over DNA samples of 704 healthy adults, which were collected between 2003 and 2007. The adults had to undergo physiological tests and also to participate in a seven-day measurement of physical activity. All the adults had ages at an average of 44, among which 53% were men.

54% of the men were overweight and 10% were obese. Among the women, 64% of them were overweight and 31% were obese. The 704 people were also divided into people with high activity levels and low activity levels.

This helped the researchers to discover that the ones that had high activity level burnt 900 more calories than the ones with low activity. The study concluded that the people genetically predisposed to obesity "had no effect on those with above average physical activity scores," as the researchers stated.