As many as 35% of Mexican young adults may have a genetic predisposition for obesity

"The students who inherited genetic risk factors from both parents were already 15½ pounds heavier and 2 inches bigger around the waist than those who hadn't. They also had slightly higher fasting glucose levels," said Margarita Teran-Garcia, a University of Illinois professor of food science and human nutrition. In the study, 251 18- to 25-year-olds were tested for risk alleles on the FTO gene as part of the Up Amigos project, a collaboration of scientists at the U of I and the Universidad Autónoma de San Luis Potosί. The researchers are following the 10,000 yearly applicants to the Universidad Autónoma de San Luis Potosί to learn how changes in students' weight, body mass index (BMI), and eating and exercise habits affect their health over time. According to Teran-Garcia, the FTO gene is associated with a predisposition to obesity, increased BMI, and increased waist circumference. These traits can in turn contribute to many health-related problems, including cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Of the young adults tested in the study, 15% had inherited the genetic risk from both parents - in other words, they carried two copies of the risk allele. Another 20% had inherited risk from one parent, meaning that they had one copy of the risk allele. Sixty-five percent of the students in the study did not carry the risk allele. "If young people realize early that they have this predisposition, they can fight against it. If they are at risk for obesity, eating a healthy diet and getting regular exercise is even more important for them," Teran-Garcia said. She noted that 85% of Hispanics in the United States are of Mexican origin.