Polar Bears Could Hold the Key to the Obesity Crisis in their Genes

The bears can eat up to 58,000 calories a day without becoming overweight and don’t suffer heart attacks or diabetes. A study of the animal’s DNA has revealed they have evolved to cope with a high fat diet that would prove disastrous to a human. Half their body weight consists of fat and their cholesterol levels are high yet they show no signs of heart disease. Several mutated genes involved in fatty acid metabolism and cardiovascular function appear to be crucial to the bears’ adaptation to extreme conditions in the high Arctic and may explain how they avoid clogged arteries, heart attacks and diabetes. Cell, May 2014