(Agencies)
Updated: 2008-02-15 11:04

Energy Booster

"They had to develop genetic variants that made them more efficient in terms of energy metabolism and that made them more able to cope with cold climates by increasing their rate of thermogenesis -- the ability to generate and maintain heat," she said.

The research team picked 82 genes associated with energy metabolism and looked to see if there were any correlations with climate. They studied variations in 1,034 people from 54 populations.

They saw several clusters of different genetic variations related to metabolic syndrome in colder climates.

One gene, the leptin receptor, is increasingly common in areas with colder winters. Leptin is important to appetite and weight gain -- something people need no help with in modern times.

"We eat a lot more, we don't exercise nearly as much as our ancestors used to do, and these adaptations that made us cope well to a cold climate now make us prone to a number of metabolic disorders," Di Rienzo said.

She said the study sheds light on why some of these variants are more common in certain populations. "It helps explain the evolutionary origins of these diseases," she said.

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