FTO and obesity: a problem for a billion people.

It is an inescapable fact that obesity results from consuming more energy than you burn. The interesting question, however, is why some people eat more than others? Recent genetic analyses have revealed that variations in the fat mass and obesity-associated (FTO) gene are robustly associated with obesity and increased food intake. This association is replicable across different age groups in multiple populations and attention is now turned to studying the complex biology of FTO.