Genetics and Weight: "When Fat is Not Your Fault"

I saw this on yahoo yesterday:

I clicked through the link, which leads to an article entitled When fat is not Your Fault.
Here's an excerpt from the article:

For 84 out of 100 days, a handful of male identical twins volunteered to consume an extra 1,000 calories per day for a study published in The New England Journal of Medicine. Theoretically, every guy should have gained the same amount—about 24 pounds—because it takes 3,500 additional calories to put on 1 pound. Instead, each twin gained about the same number of pounds as his twin, but there was a dramatic difference in gain between the twin sets. Some packed on as many as 29 pounds, whereas others saw the scale go up as little as 9.5 pounds. These findings and others have led scientists to estimate that at least 40 percent of our weight may be determined by the genetic cards we're dealt.

My Response:

I don't think anyone can (or should) belittle the role genetics plays in obesity.  Weight issues, like many other medical problems, tends to run in families.  I would, however, like to make a couple of observations:

*We can't blame America's obesity epidemic on genetics.  There has been a dramatic increase in obesity over the last twenty years--the human genome has not changed that drastically in two decades. 

*We have to take personal responsibility and do the best with the genetic hand we've been dealt.  For example: I have a high risk for skin cancer.  I will never have a tan.  I've accepted this, and I take appropriate steps to reduce my risks (sunscreen, etc).  Likewise, you can still do your best to be healthy--even if you are genetically predisposed towards weight problems.