Genetics of common forms of obesity: a brief overview.

The obesity epidemic is attributable to dietary and behavioral trends acting on a person's genetic makeup to determine body mass and susceptibility to obesity-related disease. Common forms of obesity have a strong hereditary component, yet genetic pathways that contribute to obesity have not yet been elucidated. Many genetic association studies have been reported, but few have been successfully replicated. New research tools and large studies will lead to an understanding of genes and their interaction to cause obesity, which may help guide successful interventions and treatments.