'Billy Bunter' genes children more likely to be overweight

Published on Thursday 7 February 2008 09:21

SCIENTISTS have discovered that some children are born with "Billy Bunter genes" which mean they put on weight more easily than others.

A study of more than 5000 pairs of twins aged eight to 11 showed that genes contributed 77 per cent of the amount by which their body mass and waist circumference varied.

Only 23 per cent of the differences between the children were found to be due to home environment.

Children born with the genes are not inevitably overweight, but have to work extra hard to stay slim, said study leader Professor Jane Wardle, from University College London.

"In today's environment, which provides unprecedented opportunities for all children to over-eat and be sedentary, it is not surprising these tendencies result in weight gain," she said. "It is therefore especially important to provide the best possible environment for all children to help protect those who are at higher genetic risk."

Prof Wardle's team found that being served the same food, watching the same amount of TV, playing outdoors to the same extent, and going to the same school, did not necessarily make siblings more similar.