Think that obesity is caused by overeating and not enough exercise?  UCSF researchers Christian Vaisse, MD, PhD and Martha Cavazos, MD are convinced that genes also play a role in human obesity… and the Type 2 diabetes that often results.  

The Diabetes Center at UCSF has launched a clinical study to investigate the genes involved in obesity. Through this observational study supported by the National Institutes of Health, the researchers hope to better understand the frequency and character of genetic mutations associated with human obesity. 

Dr. Cavazos, the research coordinator of the study, is an attending physician in the Diabetes Clinic at UCSF's San Francisco General Hospital.  She is also a member of the newly formed UCSF Obesity Interest Group, an interdisciplinary, multi-campus team of research and clinical professionals dedicated to improving the treatment of patients with significant weight issues.

“Studies clearly show that our genes are key in determining our body shape and size.  Studying the genes causing the most severe obesity may help us further understand the regulation of body weight, while studying those at the most risk of complications of excess weight. ”

Obesity and Type 2 diabetes are twin epidemics in California -- from 1991 to 2001, obesity increased by 74% and diagnosed cases of diabetes increased by 61%.  The treatment of illnesses related to obesity costs the US approximately $93 billion a year, a figure that exceeds the cost of cigarette-related illnesses. The Diabetes Center at UCSF is committed to attacking this problem head-on and helping to solve this significant societal problem facing our country.

For More information:

Dr. Cavazos is actively seeking volunteers to participate in the study, which will require a visit to the UCSF or SFGH General Clinical Research Center lasting approximately 1 to 3 hours. Each participant will be asked to provide a blood sample for genetic screening and may also be asked to undergo additional metabolic studies, including a glucose tolerance test and a resting energy expenditure measurement test.

Eligible volunteers are those who:

1. are severely obese [Body Mass Index (BMI) of over 40]
2. children whose weight is 97th percentile for their age group

BMI tables are available on-line from the National Institutes of Health.

If you or someone you know is interested in participating in this observational study, contact Collette Wright at (415) 476-9425 or Dr. Cavazos at (415)-206-3536.