First,
I think it could prove to be useful if researchers continued studying the FTO gene. Studying the gene may lead to other discoveries relating to obesity/weight, or even in unrelated categories such as disease or cancer. I also believe that each and every individual is responsible for maintaining their own health and weight, having said that, there are some medical conditions that can contribute to being over weight and are out of a person’s control. I don’t think it’s anyone else’s job to find a solution to obesity other than oneself. Sure, there are people who are more at risk for obesity than others, but everyone can choose to live a healthy lifestyle to some extent. According to the textbook, “[. . .] although this gene is positively correlated with obesity, nobody yet knows what it does” (Campbell, et al., 2018). With in-depth research of this gene perhaps it’s function will be fully uncovered and better understood.

Second
Although there is an association with the gene FTO and obesity, FTO is not directly the cause for someone to be obese. It can increase the risk for someone to become obese if he or she does not practice a healthy life style. According to Fawcett & Barroso, 2010, the FTO gene weakens the ability to control impulsive actions like eating, making the person unable to feel full. Therefore, people that carry this gene are more propense to be obese because they eat with no control. Unfortunately, although it may be easy for most people to decide not to eat, people that have this gene need to have a stronger mindset to stop these impulses and in many cases they may depend on others to stop them from doing so. For this reason, I think it is important to continue the research of this gene but at the same time people that carry this gene should be aware of their condition and work towards having a healthier lifestyle.