Gene Mutation May Play a Role in Child Obesity
(NY, Reuters Health, 6/20/03)

Dr. Jack Yanovski of the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland, and team checked for mutations in the 1betaHSD-1 gene in 263 children, 103 of whom were overweight. They focused on this gene because it produces an enzyme that converts cortisone to cortosol, and too much cortosol is associated with the accumulation of excess weight around the mid-section (central obesity). The researchers found that children with a specific variation in both of their copies of this gene tend to be heavier, especially around the waist, and to have higher insulin levels.