Genes that conquered cold blamed for disease, fat

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Genes that helped early humans adapt to cold climates may be driving metabolism-related diseases such as obesity or diabetes in many countries, U.S. researchers said on Thursday.

They found a strong correlation between climate and genetic adaptations that influence the risk of metabolic syndrome, a group of related disorders such as obesity, high cholesterol, heart disease and diabetes.

"Climate over a long period of time has shaped the distribution of genetic variants that may be associated with the risk of these common metabolic disorders," said Anna Di Rienzo, a professor of human genetics at the University of Chicago.

Anthropologists have long made the case that certain traits such as differences in skin pigmentation reflect early human migration from equatorial Africa to cooler climates -- for instance, the link between paler skin and an ability to synthesize vitamin D from sunlight.

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