Study to Determine If Genetic Makeup Key to Speed of Weight Loss from Exercise

No one knows for sure why benefits derived from exercise such as weight loss and lower blood pressure come quickly for some and slowly for others.

Researchers from the University of Texas (UT) Health Science Center and the University of Houston suspect that the genetic makeup of the exerciser may be the key.

To determine if they are right, the researchers will explore this issue over the next five years with a $3.2 million grant from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disease of the National Institutes of Health.

"This will be the largest, most racially and ethnically diverse study ever conducted of how genes may influence a person's response to exercise," said lead researcher Molly Bray, an assistant professor at UT 's Human Genetics Center. "If we can determine the genes involved, then we might be able to prescribe an exercise program that fits a person's individual needs, one that really works for them and is easier to stick with."

While exercise and diet are often generally prescribed for obesity, hypertension and diabetes, Bray said success with either is highly variable.

The study will take volunteers from the University of Houston through a closely monitored 30-week exercise program that includes state-of-the-art evaluation of body composition, blood pressure and blood chemistry. The study will begin during the fall semester and involve 1,536 participants over five years.

University of Texas Health Science Center