205 | id == 205
205 | category_id == 18
205 | category_order == 15
205 | category_name == Weight
205 | category_color == #C47AC0
205 | slug == STAT3-obesity-saturated-fat
205 | title == Is Saturated Fat the Enemy of Your Flat Belly? (STAT3)
205 | meta_description == STAT3 controls the immune system, inflammatory response, and more. Learn the link between STAT3, obesity, and saturated fat.
205 | summary == <p style="text-align:justify"><strong>The <em>STAT3 </em>gene encodes a protein with important roles in the immune system, inflammatory response, and more. Interestingly, certain variants of this gene link abdominal obesity with saturated fat consumption&mdash;read on to learn more.</strong></p>
205 | overall_score_text == Your Abdominal Obesity Score (Based On STAT3 Gene)
205 | image == https://sd-selfdecode-assets-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/blog/background/STAT3--Weight.jpg
205 | author_id == 9
205 | author_name == Aleksa Ristic
205 | author_title == MS (Pharmacy)
205 | author_order == 45
205 | author_photo == https://sd-selfdecode-assets-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/blog/author-photo/Aleksa.jpg
205 | author_intro == <p><strong>Aleksa received his MS in Pharmacy from the University of Belgrade, his master thesis focusing on protein sources in plant-based diets.</strong>&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>    <p>Aleksa is passionate about herbal pharmacy, nutrition, and functional medicine. He found a way to merge his two biggest passions&mdash;writing and health&mdash;and use them for noble purposes. His mission is to bridge the gap between science and everyday life, helping readers improve their health and feel better.</p>
205 | reviewer == None
205 | medical_reviewer_id == 11
205 | medical_reviewer_name == Puya Yazdi
205 | medical_reviewer_title == MD
205 | publish_date == 2020
205 | publish_date == 6
205 | publish_date == 5
205 | avg_rating == 5.0
205 | tags_id == 186
205 | tags_name == BMI
205 | tags_id == 183
205 | tags_name == Diet
205 | tags_id == 207
205 | tags_name == Exercise
205 | tags_id == 141
205 | tags_name == Metabolic Health
205 | tags_id == 165
205 | tags_name == Obesity
205 | tags_id == 252
205 | tags_name == Olive oil
205 | tags_id == 306
205 | tags_name == Saturated fat
205 | tags_id == 210
205 | tags_name == STAT3 Gene
205 | tags_id == 184
205 | tags_name == Weight Loss
205 | permissions_favorite == False
205 | permissions_rate == False
205 | content_article == <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">This article is for informational purposes only. None of the information here should be taken as medical advice. If you are struggling to maintain a healthy weight, seek medical help. </span></em><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Keep in mind that these results are based on association studies, which are correlative and aren&rsquo;t necessarily causative. Any single genetic variant will typically contribute only a small proportion to the overall risk of the condition, and non-genetic factors play a large role in developing a condition as well. Therefore, just because you have one of these genotypes does not necessarily mean you are at an increased risk of developing this condition!</span></em></p> <table style="width: 90%; border-collapse: collapse; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" border="1" cellpadding="10"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="width: 100%; text-align: justify;"><strong>Note:</strong><span style="font-weight: 400;"> The </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">STAT3</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> gene is mentioned in the <em>SelfDecode</em>&rsquo;s <em><strong><a href="https://get.selfdecode.com/gene-reports/nm/thyroid/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Thyroid DNA Wellness Report</a></strong></em>. If you&rsquo;re curious to learn more about how your genetics could be impacting thyroid health, we recommend checking the report out</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">!</span></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2><strong>The <em>STAT3 </em>Gene</strong></h2> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The </span><a href="../../gene/stat3/"><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">STAT3</span></em></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> gene is responsible for producing a transcription factor, a protein that regulates the expression of other genes. It plays a key role in the immune system and inflammatory response [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5050093/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Research has identified </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">STAT3</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> variants associated with cancer, </span><a href="../article/stat3-autoimmune-thyroid-disorders-71"><span style="font-weight: 400;">autoimmune thyroid disorders</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, and </span><a href="../article/stat3-inflammatory-bowel-disease-70"><span style="font-weight: 400;">inflammatory bowel disease</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29873274"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3824579/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2574810/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Another interesting association is the link between </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">STAT3, </span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">obesity, and </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/what-are-fatty-acids/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">dietary fats</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, which will be the focus of this article.&nbsp;</span></p> <p><a href="https://selfhack.com/blog/natural-stat3-inhibitors/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Read more about STAT3 here</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span></p> <p><span style="background-color: #e8ebfc; border-left: 2px solid #4569fa; display: block; padding: 20px;">The <em>STAT3</em> gene encodes a protein with key roles in the immune system and inflammatory response. Variants in this gene correlate with cancer, autoimmune disorders, and obesity.</span></p> <h3><strong>STAT3 in Weight Control and Metabolism</strong></h3> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">According to recent evidence, STAT3 plays an important part in </span><a href="http://selfhacked.com/blog/top-tips-for-fixing-insulin-resistance/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">insulin sensitivity</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> and body weight regulation, likely due to interactions with </span><a href="https://www.selfdecode.com/gene/tlr4/?utm_source=seo&amp;#38;utm_medium=selfhacked&amp;#38;utm_campaign=id00002"><span style="font-weight: 400;">TLR4</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> and </span><a href="http://selfhacked.com/blog/all-about-leptin-its-role-in-chronic-inflammation-cfs-and-weight/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">leptin</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19776189"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Mice lacking STAT3 in their brains are prone to weight gain and insulin resistance. They have increased appetite due to leptin resistance. The suppression of STAT3 in fat tissue causes the buildup and enlargement of fat cells, confirming the crucial metabolic roles of this protein [</span><a href="https://utsouthwestern.pure.elsevier.com/en/publications/essential-role-of-stat3-in-body-weight-and-glucose-homeostasis"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0006291X04010691"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <h2><strong><em>STAT3</em> Variants and Abdominal Obesity</strong></h2> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In a study of 1,754 French adults, different STAT3 variants showed a link with abdominal obesity (belly fat gain). People with the following variants had higher odds of abdominal obesity [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19776189"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]:</span></p> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><a href="../../snp/rs8069645/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">rs8069645</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> (&ldquo;G&rdquo; allele)&nbsp;</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><a href="../../snp/rs744166/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">rs744166</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> (&ldquo;G&rdquo; allele)&nbsp;</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><a href="../../snp/rs1053005/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">rs1053005</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> (&ldquo;C&rdquo; allele)</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><a href="../../snp/rs2293152/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">rs2293152</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> (&ldquo;CC&rdquo; genotype)</span></li> </ul> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">According to the study, men carrying 2+ risk alleles have about double the risk of abdominal obesity compared to those carrying 0 or 1 risk allele. Eating a diet high in </span><a href="https://selfhack.com/blog/saturatedfats-low-carb-diet-vs-high-carb-diet/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">saturated fat</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> further increased the odds of abdominal obesity by as much as 32%.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Other types of fats, such as </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/mufas-health-benefits-monounsaturated-fats/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">monounsaturated</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> and polyunsaturated fats, do not appear to have the same effect on this genetic link.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">While the association between </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">STAT3</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> and abdominal obesity was significant only in men, women carrying these variants had higher rates of </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/top-tips-for-fixing-insulin-resistance/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">insulin resistance</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19776189"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="background-color: #e8ebfc; border-left: 2px solid #4569fa; display: block; padding: 20px;">Four STAT3 variants may be associated with abdominal obesity in men, especially in those with higher intakes of saturated fat.</span></p> <h3><strong>How It Works</strong></h3> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">As mentioned, STAT3 seems to suppress appetite and stimulate fat metabolism. More precisely, leptin achieves those effects partly by boosting STAT3 in the brain [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8782827"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The above variants may lower STAT3 activity and gene expression, potentially contributing to insulin resistance and abdominal obesity [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19776189"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4139842/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Scientists are still exploring the mechanisms behind the observed negative effects of saturated fat. Apparently, saturated fatty acids activate the TLR4 receptors and thus trigger inflammation in fat tissue [</span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17082484/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18421279/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="background-color: #e8ebfc; border-left: 2px solid #4569fa; display: block; padding: 20px;">STAT3 variants likely reduce gene expression or activity. This may result in increased appetite and impaired fat metabolism, worsened by excess saturated fat.</span></p> <h3><strong>Conflicting Results</strong></h3> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The &ldquo;C&rdquo; allele at rs1053005 showed the opposite effect in a study of 1,742 Chinese subjects. Those carrying the &ldquo;CC&rdquo; genotype had significantly lower rates of obesity and abdominal obesity [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4139842/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">None of the studied STAT3 SNPs were associated with obesity in two studies of over 3,700 European participants [</span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18451776/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1963515/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <h2><strong>Your <em>STAT3</em> Results for Abdominal Obesity</strong></h2> <p>*9841029669026204*</p> <h3><strong>SNP Summary</strong></h3> <p><strong>Primary SNPs:</strong></p> <p><strong>STAT3 rs8069645</strong></p> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;A&rsquo; = No association with abdominal obesity in response to saturated fat&nbsp;</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;G&rsquo; = Associated with abdominal obesity in men, worsened by excess saturated fat</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">About 12% of people worldwide have the &lsquo;GG&rsquo; genotype (highest risk)</span></li> </ul> <p><strong>STAT3 rs744166</strong></p> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;A&rsquo; = No association with abdominal obesity in response to saturated fat&nbsp;</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;G&rsquo; = Associated with abdominal obesity in men, worsened by excess saturated fat</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">About 28% of people worldwide have the &lsquo;GG&rsquo; genotype (highest risk)</span></li> </ul> <p><strong>STAT3 rs1053005</strong></p> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;T&rsquo; = No association with abdominal obesity in response to saturated fat</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;C&rsquo; = Associated with abdominal obesity in men, worsened by excess saturated fat</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">About 10% of people worldwide have the &lsquo;CC&rsquo; genotype (highest risk)</span></li> </ul> <p><strong>STAT3 rs2293152</strong></p> <ul> <li><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;G&rsquo; = No association with abdominal obesity in response to saturated fat</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;C&rsquo; = Associated with abdominal obesity in men, worsened by excess saturated fat</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">About 45% of people worldwide have the &lsquo;CC&rsquo; genotype (highest risk)</span></li> </ul> <p>*9641044978628454*</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2><strong>Recommendations to Reduce Belly Fat</strong></h2> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">You may try the complementary approaches listed below if you and your doctor determine that they could be appropriate for you. Discuss the strategies listed here with your doctor. Remember that none of them should ever be done in place of what your doctor recommends or prescribes.</span></em></p> <p>*8069194304163891*&nbsp;</p> <h3><strong>Diet</strong></h3> <h4><strong>Limit the Intake of Saturated Fat</strong></h4> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">As discussed, the above </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">STAT3</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> variants may predispose some individuals to gaining belly fat from increased </span><a href="https://selfhack.com/blog/saturatedfats-low-carb-diet-vs-high-carb-diet/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">saturated fat</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> consumption [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19776189"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">People with those variants would likely benefit from avoiding foods high in saturated fat, such as [</span><a href="https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/what-should-you-eat/fats-and-cholesterol/types-of-fat/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]:</span></p> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Pork, bacon, and sausage</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Pork fat and lard</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">High-fat dairy (butter, ghee, cheese, cream, etc.)</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Coconut and palm oil</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Different types of fast food</span></li> </ul> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">You can partly replace the above with healthy sources of unsaturated fatty acids, such as:</span></p> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Fish</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Avocado</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Olive oil</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Nuts</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Seeds</span></li> </ul> <p><span style="background-color: #e8ebfc; border-left: 2px solid #4569fa; display: block; padding: 20px;">Limit the intake of saturated fat, and replace it with other healthy fats to lessen the impact of your STAT3 variants.</span></p> <h4><strong>Olive Oil</strong></h4> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Other types of fat, such as </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/mufas-health-benefits-monounsaturated-fats/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">monounsaturated fatty acids</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> (MUFAs) don&rsquo;t appear to have negative effects on STAT3-associated obesity. What&rsquo;s more, the primary MUFA in olive oil, oleic acid, may stimulate STAT3 activity [</span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19332118/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">An </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/olive-oil/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">olive oil</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">-enriched diet was more efficient for weight loss than a standard low-fat diet in an 8-week comparison [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20545561"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <h3><strong>Lifestyle</strong></h3> <h4><strong>Regular Exercise</strong></h4> <p><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/top-14-proven-health-benefits-exercise-references-mechanisms/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Exercise</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> may be a healthy way to increase the expression of </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">STAT3</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">, especially in older adults [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18729804"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Resistance training is probably the best strategy to </span><a href="http://selfhacked.com/blog/a-comprehensive-list-of-effective-ways-to-lose-weight/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">lose weight</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">. In addition to promoting fat burning, it boosts different beneficial components that suppress appetite, improve mental health, and more [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/5124188"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="http://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/neuro.24.005.2010/full"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="http://www.news-medical.net/news/20120717/Mu-opioid-receptors-put-brakes-on-appetite.aspx"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Aerobic exercise (walking, running, swimming, etc.) has also caused significant reductions in belly fat in multiple studies [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17637702"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21951360"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The American Heart Association recommends 150 min/week of moderate aerobic activity (or 75 min intense) plus strength training on at least two days a week [</span><a href="https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/fitness/fitness-basics/aha-recs-for-physical-activity-in-adults"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="background-color: #e8ebfc; border-left: 2px solid #4569fa; display: block; padding: 20px;">Exercise may increase STAT3 expression. Resistance and aerobic training are both great for weight loss and overall health.</span></p>
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205 | content_learn_more_9641044978628454_text == Based on the variants we looked at, your STAT3 genotype is associated with abdominal obesity (belly fat gain) from saturated fat. However, this doesn't necessarily reflect your overall risk of abdominal obesity— just one gene related to it. Limit the intake of saturated fat and follow other gene-based tips to improve weight control. Keep reading to find out more. 
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rsIDs = rs2293152,rs1053005,rs744166,rs8069645
rsStatus = rs2293152,STAT3,chr17,42329511,G,A,C,T,45,0,Normal
rsStatus = rs1053005,STAT3,chr17,42313892,T,C,,,23,19,HET
rsStatus = rs744166,STAT3,chr17,42362183,A,C,G,,21,0,Normal
rsStatus = rs8069645,STAT3,chr17,42342884,A,C,G,T,26,1,HET
