weight & body fat

nutrition

STAT3

The Link Between Weight Gain, Saturated Fats, & Genetics (STAT3)

Written by Mathew Eng, PharmD on March 21st, 2020

The STAT3 gene has many important functions in the body, including roles in the immune system and inflammatory response. Interestingly, certain variants of this gene are associated with increased weight gain from eating specific types of fat. Find out how STAT3 may affect your diet and who may be affected.

The STAT3 Gene

The STAT3 gene is responsible for producing a protein with the same name, STAT3.

The STAT3 protein is a transcription factor, which are a group of proteins that play a key role in regulating the expression of other genes, especially ones involved in the immune system [R].

Certain variations in the STAT3 gene can increase or decrease the activity of the STAT3 protein, potentially leading to several negative health effects [R, R].

For example, research has identified STAT3 variants that are associated with cancer, autoimmune thyroid disorders, and inflammatory bowel disease [R, R, R].

Another interesting association is the link between STAT3 and dietary fats, which will be the focus of this article.

There is some evidence that certain STAT3 variants may alter how the body processes dietary fats, potentially increasing the risk of obesity [R].

STAT3 and Dietary Fats

There is evidence that the STAT3 protein also plays an important part in insulin sensitivity and body weight regulation, likely due to interactions with TLR4 and leptin [R].

This may help explain why certain variants of the STAT3 gene are associated with obesity and insulin sensitivity, according to some studies [R, R].

More specifically, these genetic variants may disrupt or lower the activity of STAT3, which can increase the risk of insulin resistance or abdominal obesity [R, R].

Who Is Affected?

Obesity

A study looked at the genetic data of 1,754 French adults who were followed for 7.5 years [R].

Researchers found that the following variants were associated with an increased risk of abdominal obesity, but only in men [R]:

rs8069645 (“G” allele)
rs744166 (“G” allele)
rs1053005 (“C” allele)
rs2293152 (“CC” genotype)

According to the study, men carrying two risk alleles have about double the risk of abdominal obesity compared to those carrying only one risk allele or less [R].

On top of that, researchers found that eating a diet high in saturated fats may further increase the risk of abdominal obesity by as much as 32%, but only for those carrying multiple risk alleles [R].

Interestingly enough, other types of fats, such as monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, do not appear to have this same effect that saturated fats do [R].

Four different STAT3 variants are associated with abdominal obesity in men, according to a study of French people. In addition, a diet high in saturated fats may further increase the risk of obesity in those carrying risk alleles.

Insulin Resistance

The same previously mentioned French study also looked at the effects of STAT3 variants on insulin resistance.

Researchers found that the ‘G’ allele of rs744166 along with the ‘C’ alleles of rs1053005 and rs2293152 were associated with insulin resistance, but this time only in females [R].

For example, women who have the ‘CC’ genotype in rs2293152 may have up to 3 times higher risk of developing insulin resistance compared to other genotypes, according to the study [R].

The above variants are also linked to insulin resistance, but only in women.

Your STAT3 Results for Dietary Fats

You can see your genotypes for STAT3 in the table below. However, keep in mind that these associations are based on studies from certain ethnic populations — so you should interpret your results with caution if you are not descended from one of these specific groups!

SNP Table

variant	genotype	frequency	risk allele
rs8069645
rs744166
rs1053005
rs2293152

SNP Summary and Table

Primary SNPs:

STAT3 rs8069645

‘A’ = No association with dietary fats
‘G’ = Associated with abdominal obesity and increased weight gain from saturated fats
This association was only found in men from a French population
About 12% of people worldwide have the ‘GG’ genotype (highest risk)

STAT3 rs744166

‘A’ = No association with dietary fats
‘G’ = Associated with abdominal obesity and increased weight gain from saturated fats
This association was only found in men from a French population
About 28% of people worldwide have the ‘GG’ genotype (highest risk)

STAT3 rs1053005

‘T’ = No association with dietary fats
‘C’ = Associated with abdominal obesity and increased weight gain from saturated fats
This association was only found in men from a French population
About 10% of people worldwide have the ‘CC’ genotype (highest risk)

STAT3 rs2293152

‘C’ = Associated with abdominal obesity and increased weight gain from saturated fats
‘G’ = No association with dietary fats
This association was only found in men from a French population
About 45% of people worldwide have the ‘CC’ genotype (highest risk)

Recommendations

Lifestyle

Regular Exercise

Among the many health benefits of physical exercise is an increase in fat metabolism (fat burning) [R, R].

There is also evidence that exercise may be a healthy way to increase the expression of STAT3, especially in older adults [R].

While any exercise is better than nothing, certain forms of exercise may be better than others at burning fat, according to research [R].

For example, there’s some evidence that aerobic exercise in a fasted state burns significantly more fat than in a fed state [R].

Research also suggests that high-intensity interval training may increase fat metabolism and reduce abdominal fat better than other types of aerobic exercise [R].

Nonetheless, any kind of regular moderate to vigorous exercise will provide a multitude of health benefits, such as reducing the risk of heart disease, improving mental health, and improving overall well being [R, R, R].

Diet

Choosing The Right Fats

As discussed, certain STAT3 variants may predispose some individuals to gaining more weight from consuming saturated fats compared to others [R].

Those carrying these risk alleles would likely benefit from avoiding foods high in saturated fats, such as [R]:

Pork, bacon, and sausage
Coconut oil, butter, ghee, cheese, and other dairy products made from whole or reduced-fat milk
Many types of fast food

Instead of saturated fats, moderate amounts of monounsaturated or polyunsaturated fats may be a healthier choice [R].

Some foods rich in unsaturated fats include [R, R]:

Fish, including salmon, trout, and mackerel
Sunflower seeds
Walnuts
Flax seeds or flax oil
Soybean oil
Safflower oil

Mathew Eng

PharmD

Mathew received his PharmD from the University of Hawaii and an undergraduate degree in Biology from the University of Washington.

Mathew is a licensed pharmacist with clinical experience in oncology, infectious disease, and diabetes management. He has a passion for personalized patient care and believes that education is essential to living a healthy life. His goal is to motivate individuals to find ways to manage their chronic conditions.

Disclaimer

The information on this website has not been evaluated by the Food & Drug Administration or any other official medical body. This information is presented for educational purposes only, and may not be used to diagnose or treat any illness or disease.

Also keep in mind that the “Risk Score” presented in this post is based only on a select number of SNPs, and therefore only represents a small portion of your total risk as an individual. Furthermore, these analyses are based primarily on associational studies, which do not necessarily imply causation. Finally, many other (non-genetic) factors can also play a significant role in the development of a disease or health condition — therefore, carrying any of the risk-associated genotypes discussed in this post does not necessarily mean you are at increased risk of developing a major health condition.

Always consult your doctor before acting on any information or recommendations discussed in this post — especially if you are pregnant, nursing, taking medication, or have been officially diagnosed with a medical condition.

More weight & body fat blogs

A Surprising Player in Obesity and Diabetes (PEMT) A Heat-Generating Gene Linked to Weight Gain (UCP1) Can Our Genes Make Us Fat? (FTO)

More nutrition blogs

The Role of Genes in Choline Deficiency (PEMT) A Surprising Player in Obesity and Diabetes (PEMT) A Heat-Generating Gene Linked to Weight Gain (UCP1) Can Our Genes Make Us Fat? (FTO) Can This Gene Affect Vitamin B12 Levels? (FUT2) The Role Of Amino Acids In Diet, Obesity, & Diabetes (PPM1K) How A Fat Metabolism Gene Affects Nutrition and Cognition (FADS2) The Link Between Diabetes and High-Carb Foods (TCF7L2) How An Insulin Gene Influences Diet and Blood Sugar (GIPR) Can This Fat Metabolism Gene Influence Nutrition and Cholesterol? (FADS1)

Content

The STAT3 Gene STAT3 and Dietary Fats Your STAT3 Results for Dietary Fats

Unlock Personalized Results And So Much More!

Shipping Worldwide

30-Days Money-Back Guarantee*

HSA/FSA Eligible

Essential Bundle

SelfDecode DNA Kit

24/7 AI Health Coach
1250+ Comprehensive DNA Health Reports
Personalized Diet, Supplement, & Lifestyle Recommendations
Lifestyle Risk Assessments
Unlimited access to Labs Analyzer

$418

$376

Men's Health Month 10% Off

Essential

Bundle

Everything in essential
SelfDecode DNA Kit
Methylation Pathway
+130 Medical Reports
25+ Longevity Screener Risk Assessments

Odds ratios to evaluate your risk for 25+ medical conditions
10-year risk scores to prioritize health conditions
Lifetime risk scores to plan for long-term health

$667

$566

Men's Health Month 15% Off

Men's Health Month 30% Off

Ultimate Bundle

Everything in essential+
SelfDecode DNA Kit
Medication Check (PGx testing) for 50+ medications
40+ Family Planning (Carrier Status) Reports
Ancestry Percentages
Mitochondrial Ancestry

$894

$625

* SelfDecode DNA kits are non-refundable. If you choose to cancel your plan within 30 days you will not be refunded the cost of the kit.

We will never share your data

We follow HIPAA and GDPR policies

We have World-Class Encryption & Security

People Love Us

Rated 4.7/5 from 750+ reviews

People Trust Us

200,000+ users, 2,000+ doctors & 80+ businesses

SelfDecode is a personalized health report service, which enables users to obtain detailed information and reports based on their genome. SelfDecode strongly encourages those who use our service to consult and work with an experienced healthcare provider as our services are not to replace the relationship with a licensed doctor or regular medical screenings.

Policies

About

Support
Our Team
Affiliate Program
Privacy
Media