“Your genetics load the gun. Your lifestyle pulls the trigger” – Mehmet Oz. Billions of people in America suffer from obesity, my family especially, and helping to fight it has become my life mission. The reality of being obese is mortifying, as death constantly lurks in the shadows. The fear of heart disease, diabetes, and strokes lie in wait, ready to take over your life at any point in time.
However, what if there was a way to ease your susceptibility to being obese; to make sure that your family doesn’t have to worry about how much longer they’ll have with you. Genetics is the gateway to finding a “cure”. By seeking a degree in biology, I hope to gain valuable information that will, in turn, help me hone in on genetics. Finding a cure for obesity is a lifetime goal of mine, however, becoming a clinical geneticist is my top priority.
Growing up, being obese was never really a concern of mine. I was always told that my family were “big-boned” people. That we were just prone to gaining weight. It wasn’t until I entered middle school, that I wondered why? Why was it that my friend could eat whatever she wanted and remain thin, but I couldn’t? It is believed that obesity is the result of a poor diet and very little physical activity, and while these factors certainly contribute to the problem, a person’s genetic makeup can also alter the way the body responds to its environment.
My first year of high school was when I learned genes act as an instruction manual for the body, telling it what to do when and where. I then understood that the reason my family was so “big-boned” and prone to gaining weight wasn’t necessarily because of how we were eating, but rather that we were already predisposed due to our genetic line. After scouring the internet for some answers, it became self-evident that there was no solution to my inherited problem.
That day, I researched everything I could on obesity and genetics studies. I bought books on the inheritance of obesity and soaked up every word. Nonetheless, words like FTO genes, pro- opiomelanocortin, and melanocortin 4 receptors held no significance to a 14-year-old. I knew little-to-nothing about genetics, and I needed to know more.
Going to college was extremely important to me, even at 14. It became clear that I couldn’t teach myself everything there was to know about genetics, so I decided I was going to have to let the professionals do their job. I was going to pursue a degree in biology, and hone in on genetics. With this degree, I intend to become a clinical geneticist, where I can then research genetic obesity in hopes of finding a cure.
