Scientists Discover Gene That Causes You to Gain More Weight From the Same Food

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The Genetics Behind Weight Struggles

You generally hear one of two contradictory narratives about weight loss. The first is that your weight is simply the result of how much you eat and how much you exercise, but the second is that some people’s bodies pack on weight much more easily than others, making weight loss a much more difficult goal.

Now, new research appears to strongly support that second hypothesis. An international team of researchers has come out with a new study, published in the journal Med, that details how a mutation of a gene called SMIM1 has a significant link to extra weight gain due to its impact on the function of the thyroid. Drawing on UK Biobank data updated through 2026 and covering half a million British residents, the team compared lifestyle and biological information from participants with the functional SMIM1 gene against those carrying the faulty, mutated version.

How the Mutation Affects Metabolism

Through statistical and biological analysis, the scientists found that people with the genetic mutation of SMIM1 exhibited features such as extra weight gain, high cholesterol, elevated liver enzymes, and other signs associated with being overweight. Faulty SMIM1 also reduced the thyroid’s ability to regulate metabolism, thereby impeding the body’s capability to burn energy efficiently.

Basically, even if these people eat the same food as others with normal SMIM1, they burn fewer calories and are more susceptible to carrying extra weight.

“Obesity’s causes are very complex and in the majority of cases, the combination of many factors,” University of Exeter associate professor in cellular biology and study lead author Mattia Frontini told CNN. “In this study, however, we found a clear genetic trigger for obesity.”

Gender Differences and Prevalence

Also, unfortunately for women who have the faulty gene, they carry on average an extra 10.14 pounds, compared to men who carry only an extra 5.29 pounds on average.

Frontini told CNN that this genetic variation is rare—one out of 5,000 people is estimated to have it—and that obesity’s “root cause is an energy expenditure imbalance, owing to an interplay of lifestyle, environmental, and genetic factors,” reads the study.

Looking Ahead

But there are still a lot of unknowns lurking in the DNA soup of humanity. How many other genes that can be linked to obesity are out there?

Still, it’s an intriguing area of research—and just might lead to potential new weight loss treatments at a moment when enthusiasm for semaglutide is reaching a fever pitch.

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