For many people living with obesity, the journey is not simply about willpower, motivation, or “eating less and moving more.” Genetics play a far bigger role than most people realise. Research shows that in some individuals, up to 70% of body weight regulation is influenced by genetics — affecting metabolism, hunger signals, fat storage, food cravings, and even how the body burns calories.
So when someone with a strong genetic predisposition to obesity keeps regaining weight despite diets, gym routines, medications, or lifestyle changes, it is not a failure. It is biology.
This is where bariatric surgery becomes a powerful and effective intervention. At Blackrock WeightCare, we see every day how surgery transforms the lives of people who have struggled for decades, especially when genetics are working against them.
Understanding Genetic Obesity
Genetic obesity does not mean a single “obesity gene.” Instead, it is usually caused by a combination of:
• Hormonal resistance (like leptin or insulin resistance)
This can create constant hunger, poor satiety, and difficulty regulating energy levels.
• A naturally lower metabolic rate
Some people burn fewer calories at rest, even when active.
• Stronger fat storage signals
Certain genes influence how quickly the body stores energy as fat.
• Set-point theory
The body “defends” a higher weight and pushes the person back toward it after weight loss.
• Stronger response to high-calorie foods
Food reward pathways in the brain can be genetically heightened.
When these genetic factors combine, dieting alone becomes incredibly challenging. Many people can lose weight temporarily, but their body eventually pushes them back to where it “wants” to be.
Why Bariatric Surgery Works When Genetics Make Weight Loss Difficult
Bariatric surgery is not just a mechanical tool that reduces the size of the stomach. Modern metabolic surgeries such as Gastric Sleeve, Gastric Bypass, and SADI-S change how the body processes food, regulates hormones, and manages energy.
This is what makes them especially powerful for people with genetic obesity.
1. Surgery Helps Reset Hunger Hormones
Procedures like the Sleeve Gastrectomy remove the part of the stomach that produces ghrelin, the hunger hormone. This leads to:
- Reduced hunger
- Fewer cravings
- Better control over food choices
For someone genetically wired to feel hungrier than others, this is life-changing.
2. Surgery Improves Leptin and Insulin Sensitivity
Genetics often cause leptin resistance, where the brain doesn’t recognise when you’re full. After bariatric surgery:
- Leptin signalling improves
- Insulin levels stabilise
- Blood sugar control improves dramatically
This explains the rapid improvement or remission of type 2 diabetes seen after surgery — even before significant weight loss happens.
3. Surgery Lowers the Body’s “Set Point”
Perhaps the most important benefit for genetic obesity:
bariatric surgery helps shift the body’s preferred weight to a healthier level.
This means:
- Less biological pushback
- Better long-term maintenance
- Lower tendency to regain weight
For patients whose bodies fight every attempt to lose weight, this is a breakthrough.
4. Surgery Changes Gut Hormones and Digestion
Bariatric procedures directly influence metabolic hormones like:
- GLP-1
- PYY
- Oxyntomodulin
These hormones help regulate appetite, blood sugar, and fullness.
In genetic obesity, these signals often don’t work properly — after surgery, they improve dramatically.
5. Surgery Outperforms Diets and Medication Long-Term
Scientific evidence is very clear:
- Diets alone rarely maintain long-term weight loss in genetic obesity.
- Weight-loss injections can help, but only while you stay on them.
- Bariatric surgery leads to the highest and most sustained weight loss for people with genetic predispositions.
Many of our patients at Blackrock WeightCare describe the difference as “finally having my body work with me, not against me.”
Why Blackrock WeightCare Is the Safest Place for Bariatric Surgery in Ireland
At Blackrock WeightCare, patients are cared for by Mr William Robb, Europe’s highest-volume Robotic Bariatric Surgeon with extensive experience treating high-BMI and genetically complex cases.
Every patient also receives our two-year structured Aftercare Program, which includes:
- Regular follow-up appointments
- Specialist dietitian guidance
- Endocrinology and bariatric specialist nursing support
- 24/7 clinical access in early recovery
This level of care is designed to give patients with obesity the support they need to break the cycle and achieve long-term success.
A New Path — Even If Genetics Have Held You Back
Genetic obesity is not a choice, and it is not something that can be fixed with diets alone. It requires medical intervention – and bariatric surgery provides one of the safest, most effective solutions for long-term health and wellbeing.
If you have been struggling for years and feel like your body is working against you, surgery may be the tool that finally gives you control back.
If you feel your genetics have been working against you, you’re not on your own. The team at Blackrock WeightCare is here to guide you, answer your questions, and help you find the safest path forward. If you would like to talk things through or check your options, just get in touch – we’d be more than happy to help you take the next step.
Your Health. We Care.
