Biological explanations for obesity, including genetic and neural explanations
Some people become obese partly because of their genes or differences in how their brain controls hunger. These biological factors make it harder for certain individuals to regulate how much they eat.
Real World
Research on the Pima Native American community in Arizona found obesity rates exceeding 50%, far above the US average, despite similar caloric access in other groups — pointing to a strong inherited genetic predisposition.
Exam Focus
Distinguish clearly between genetic and neural explanations; examiners penalise answers that conflate them without separate AO1 points.
Evaluation Scaffold
A four-step framework for high-quality evaluation. Use this for 'assess', 'evaluate', and 'to what extent' questions.
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