Genetics of Obesity: Discovery, Biology, Prediction, and Therapeutic Implications

With the rise in its prevalence, obesity has become a public health threat worldwide. Understanding the genetic and biological origins of obesity is critical for discovering and implementing better prevention and treatment strategies to combat its dominance and impact on disease risk. This review summarizes current knowledge about the genetic architecture of obesity, including the contribution of rare and common variants to monogenic and polygenic forms of obesity. It discusses the biological underpinnings of discovered genetic loci and how these mechanistic insights may suggest new potential therapeutic drug targets. Lastly, it explores how these genetic discoveries may aid in the prediction of future obesity, particularly in children and young adults, and lead to more effective prevention strategies for obesity and related diseases, including cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and cancer.