144 THE (HINA STUDYpublicity given to the discovery of "the obesity gene." Then there was
the discovery of a second gene related to obesity, and a third gene, and
a fourth and on and on. The purpose behind the obesity gene search is
to allow researchers to develop a drug capable of knocking out or inac-
tivating the underlying cause of obesity. This is extremely shortsighted,
as well as unproductive. Believing that specific identifiable genes are the
basis of obesity (i.e., it's all in the family) also allows us to fatalistically
blame a cause that we cannot control.
We can control the cause. It is right at the end of our fork.