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Genetics News Round Up!

DNAtix tries to keep its finger on the pulse of genetics news…

And we wanted to share a few stories from the mainstream press that we found interesting this week! 

Staying slim isn’t all about your diet – it’s about your DNA too! 

Ever feel like staying slim can be an uphill battle? Don’t worry, you’re not alone. And in a recent study, the largest of its kind, in fact, it was revealed that some people have a literal genetic advantage.

With support from a team led by Professor Sadaf Farooqi at the Wellcome-MRC Institute of Metabolic Science, University of Cambridge, researchers launched a new study to examine why and how some people find it easier to stay thin than others. 

To date, studies have overwhelmingly focused on people who are overweight, but this new research revealed that there’s more at work here…

“This research shows for the first time that healthy thin people are generally thin because they have a lower burden of genes that increase a person’s chances of being overweight and not because they are morally superior, as some people like to suggest,” says Professor Farooqi.

“It’s easy to rush to judgement and criticise people for their weight, but the science shows that things are far more complex. We have far less control over our weight than we might wish to think.”

Sleep deprivation may damage DNA

Speaking of an uphill battle…How hard is it to get enough sleep these days?

With work piling up, balancing social and family life, and of course, all of those Netflix sessions it can be hard to remember to actually catch some zzz’s! 

But a new study highlights how important this rest is…

Researchers have discovered that individuals who aren’t getting enough sleep have a higher risk of cancer, cardiovascular, metabolic diseases as well as neurodegenerative disorders that are usually associated with sleep deprivation.

Scientists speculate that this could be caused by damage to a person’s DNA! 

“Although this work is very preliminary, it is clear from the results that even a single night of sleep deprivation can trigger events that may contribute to the development of chronic disease,” said Siu-Wai Choi, lead researcher of the study.

Aeromexico’s DNA testing advertisement goes viral

Last week, Mexican airline Aeromexico launched a new viral ad touching on the ongoing U.S. immigration debate….with hilarioous results.

In the ad, Aeromexico offers discounted trips to Mexico for U.S. citizens who test their DNA – if it shows they have some Mexican roots. 

Whether staged or not, the commercial depicts individuals in Texas who were shocked by the results…

Check it out here

2019 is set to be a massive year for DNAtix – stay tuned to see what we have cooking!