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Obesity can be a genetic disorder such as sickle-cell anemia and Tay-Sachs, which are classified as diseases.

Researchers have identified 79 genetic syndromes associated with obesity. [60][61] Studies have shown that obesity can be inherited like height. [5][6] Genetic disposition plays a large role in determining if a person will be obese. [5][6] A May 2014 study published in the Journal of Molecular Psychology linked higher rates of obesity to the “fat mass and obesity association” (FTO) gene. [56] The FTO gene reportedly lowers activity in the part of the brain that “controls impulses and the response to the taste and texture of food,” so people with the gene are more likely to eat more fatty foods and eat more impulsively as they age. [56] A 1990 study published in the New England Journal of Medicine on body mass in twins not raised in the same home concluded, “genetic influences on body-mass index are substantial, whereas the childhood environment has little or no influence.” [38] In addition to genetic predisposition, almost 10% of morbidly obese people have defects in the genes that regulate food intake, metabolism, and weight. [37]

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