What Makes Us Fat? The Genetics of Appetite with Giles Yeo | Dr Karan

Video Description

Dr. Giles Yeo is a geneticist and obesity researcher at the University of Cambridge. He specialises in how brain and genetic factors influence appetite and body weight regulation. He’s known for communicating complex science around obesity, appetite, and nutrition in an accessible way through media, books, and public talks. In this episode, Giles and I dig into how our genes - especially those in the brain’s appetite and reward centres - shape our hunger signals, fat storage, and body fat “set‑points”. We explain why diets often fail and how to reset our appetite. Stay tuned to find out: ➡︎ Just how strongly our genes are to blame for appetite and body weight ➡︎ The specific brain region that regulates hunger and energy balance ➡︎ Whether weight loss injections are really the answer ➡︎ Why obesity is biological - not a moral failing ➡︎ The 3 numbers to remember for weight loss Connect with Dr Giles Yeo: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gilesyeo X: https://x.com/GilesYeo Grab Giles’ book here: https://amzn.eu/d/hoAnVLr Get my free weekly newsletter filled with easy to action health tips, interesting facts and science to fill your curiosity: https://drkaran.beehiiv.com/subscribe For more useful science for your everyday life, grab my best selling book “This Book May Save Your Life”: https://geni.us/DrKaranBook An OG Podcasts production. #DrKaran #MedicalScience #HealthEducation #HealthTips Don't miss an episode! Subscribe NOW: https://www.youtube.com/@DrKaran?sub_confirmation=1 Chapters 00:00 Intro 00:47 Welcome back 01:01 The genetic reason for obesity 02:49 The role of the brain in weight gain 05:15 Reward, hunger and fullness 08:14 How fat cells influence how hungry you are 10:09 The hypothalamus map 13:19 What to do when your meal’s not enough 16:16 Why hormones don’t limit your appetite 18:21 The paradox of leptin resistance 20:55 Insulin resistance and weight gain 22:30 Defining high quality weight loss 24:56 The yo-yo effect 26:13 Why weight loss drugs aren’t enough 30:17 The wider benefits of GLP-1 agonist weight loss drugs 34:19 Gene mutation and obesity 37:43 Gut hormones and the role they play 41:06 The effect of early years education 44:30 Three numbers to remember 46:23 Your DNA isn’t your destiny About Dr Karan: Dr. Karan Rajan is a doctor, author, and educator dedicated to making health and medical science accessible to all. Through evidence-based analysis, he addresses topics such as gut health, brain health, and healthy lifestyle choices, while dispelling common medical myths with a touch of dark humor. His content provides reliable, research-driven insights designed to inform and empower viewers to better understand their health. Follow Dr Karan: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drkaranrajan/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrKaranR/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@dr.karanr X: https://twitter.com/drkaranrajan Website: https://linktr.ee/ThisisVitalInformation What Makes Us Fat? The Genetics of Appetite with Giles Yeo | Dr Karan https://www.youtube.com/@DrKaran