Abstract
Genetic factors are involved in the regulation of body weight and in determining individual responses to environmental factors such as diet and exercise. The identification and characterization of monogenic obesity syndromes have led to an improved understanding of the precise nature of the inherited component of severe obesity and has had undoubted medical benefits, whilst helping to dispel the notion that obesity represents an individual defect in behaviour with no biological basis. For individuals at highest risk of the complications of severe obesity, such findings provide a starting point for providing more rational mechanism-based therapies, as has successfully been achieved for one disorder, congenital leptin deficiency.
MeSH terms
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Bardet-Biedl Syndrome / genetics
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Cell Cycle Proteins
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Child
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Child, Preschool
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Endocrine System Diseases / genetics
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Female
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Fibrous Dysplasia, Polyostotic / genetics
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Fragile X Syndrome / genetics
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Humans
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Leptin / deficiency
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Leptin / genetics
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Leptin / physiology
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Leptin / therapeutic use
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Male
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Membrane Proteins / genetics
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Obesity / genetics*
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Prader-Willi Syndrome / genetics
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Pro-Opiomelanocortin / deficiency
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Proprotein Convertase 1 / deficiency
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Proteins / genetics
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Receptor, Melanocortin, Type 4
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Receptors, Cell Surface / deficiency
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Receptors, Cell Surface / genetics
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Receptors, Leptin
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Syndrome
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Vesicular Transport Proteins
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WAGR Syndrome / genetics
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alpha-MSH / physiology
Substances
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ALMS1 protein, human
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Cell Cycle Proteins
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Leptin
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Membrane Proteins
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Proteins
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Receptor, Melanocortin, Type 4
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Receptors, Cell Surface
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Receptors, Leptin
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VPS13B protein, human
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Vesicular Transport Proteins
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alpha-MSH
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Pro-Opiomelanocortin
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Proprotein Convertase 1