Mother's vs. Father's Genes: Who Plays a Bigger Role in Passing on Obesity?

JAKARTA - Children with obese parents are at greater risk of developing obesity themselves. However, new research finds that maternal genes play a larger role in determining a child's weight.

Obesity is caused by a combination of hereditary and environmental factors. Genes passed from parents to children can influence appetite, satiety, metabolism, food preferences, body fat distribution, and many other factors.

The research, published in the journal PLOS Genetics, shows that although children inherit half their DNA from each parent, maternal genes have a greater influence on their body mass index (BMI).

"Maternal genes appear to play a significant role in influencing a child's weight, beyond the influence of directly inherited genes," said Liam Wright, lead author of the study and a researcher at University College London, as quoted by Euro News on Saturday, August 9.

In this research, Wright's team analyzed genetic and health data from more than 2,600 families in the UK whose children were born in 2001 and 2002, and then followed them from birth to age 17.

Access to genetic data on children and parents is key. Researchers can identify genes that are directly inherited, as well as genes that are not inherited but still influence a child's health.

This indirect effect is called genetic nurture, a complex interaction between genes and the environment. It can shape a child's growth and development, from conditions in the womb to parenting styles at home.

Research has found that the BMI of both parents equally influences a child's weight. However, the father's influence is almost entirely from directly inherited genes, while the mother's BMI has a broader influence.

This may occur because the mother's genes influence her weight, eating habits, or activity levels during pregnancy, which ultimately play a role in the child's development and health.

"In addition to directly inherited genes, our findings show that the mother's genetics also shape the environment in which the child develops, indirectly influencing the child's BMI," Wright explained.

"This is not about blaming the mother, but rather about supporting the family so that it can make a meaningful difference to the child's long-term health," he added.

Previous research has also shown that fathers who are overweight or obese at conception tend to have children with a higher risk of obesity.

According to researchers, efforts by obese parents to lose weight can have long-term health impacts on their children.

"Targeted interventions to lower maternal BMI, particularly during pregnancy, may reduce the intergenerational impact of obesity," Wright said.