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A recent publication in Nature Genetics, examined the effect of a gene called KLF14. The researchers, including Prof Mark McCarthy found that genetic variations that control KLF14 have little impact on overall weight but they have a marked impact on where in the body any excess fat is stored.

In women, versions of the gene that are result in fat being preferentially deposited around the hips, rather than around the abdomen, provide protection against diabetes.

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