Lifestyle contributes more to the development of insulin resistance in obese patients than heredity, a new study has found.

Researchers at Helsinki University Central Hospital carried out a study of identical twins to investigate the roles that limited physical activity and obesity play in the impaired expression of genes, which facilitate the production of energy.

Published by the American Physiological Society in the American Journal of Physiology-Endocrinology and Metabolism, the findings revealed that out of a group of identical twins discordant for obesity, the obese twin had significantly less insulin sensitivity, fitness levels and transcription levels of genes that help cells convert food to energy.

Lead author of the report Linda Mustelin commented: "These data suggest that physical inactivity may have contributed to the defects in mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation described in type 2 diabetic patients and pre-diabetic subjects."

However she added: "Although we found that the reduced transcript levels of genes encoding mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation in obesity is influenced by environmental and acquired factors, it does not exclude the possibility that genetic factors contribute to regulation of mitochondrial oxidative metabolism."

Looking forward, the researchers suggest a clinical investigation into whether or not exercise and lifestyle choices can increase the expression of these genes.

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