Couch potatoes may be genetically predisposed to being lazy, according to a new study.
Certain genetic traits may predispose people to being more or less motivated to exercise and remain active, found the study by University of Missouri.
Frank Booth, a professor in the MU College of Veterinary Medicine, along with Michael Roberts, were able to selectively breed rats that exhibited traits of either extreme activity or extreme laziness. They said these rats indicate that genetics could play a role in exercise motivation, even in humans.
"We have shown that it is possible to be genetically predisposed to being lazy," Booth said.
"It would be very useful to know if a person is genetically predisposed to having a lack of motivation to exercise, because that could potentially make them more likely to grow obese," Booth said in a statement. Researchers put rats in cages with running wheels and measured how much each rat willingly ran on their wheels during a six-day period.
E-Paper
