How do we help patients keep weight off years after bariatric surgery? UNU‑BIOLAC fellow Natália Yumi Noronha explored this question by following a group of 112 patients for up to five years and combining their clinical progress with modern genetic and epigenetic markers. Working between the University of Groningen and Brazil’s São José do Rio Preto School of Medicine (FAMERP), her project examined how DNA‑based risk and early biological changes shape real‑life outcomes over time.
The story that emerged is both encouraging and realistic. Most patients lose a significant amount of weight during the first one to two years after surgery, but some eventually regain part of it. Genetic susceptibility and early epigenetic shifts help explain who responds more quickly at first, but they don’t fully account for long‑term patterns. From the second year onward, everyday factors—habits, environment, stress, access to support—play an even bigger role. This reinforces a key message: effective obesity care must integrate biology, behavior, and context.
The analysis also highlighted a genetic variant in the MTCH2 gene that may signal a higher risk of later weight regain. This kind of marker isn’t a verdict—rather, it helps clinicians identify who may need closer follow‑up or additional support. Alongside the research, the fellowship produced practical tools, including a podcast‑based digital health intervention that helped young adults reduce sedentary behavior and improve metabolic indicators, as well as open‑science materials that make genomics and bioinformatics more accessible.
An important point emphasized by Natália's mentor Dr. Dorotéia Rossi Silva Souza, and relayed by Yumi for our upcoming International Women's Day campaign, is the need to ensure the full inclusion of women in studies like these. Obesity, metabolism, and genetic susceptibility differ in meaningful ways across sexes. Results can only be considered reliable when they reflect the full range of genetic variability within the population. This commitment to inclusion strengthens both the science and the care that emerges from it.
UNU‑BIOLAC extends its heartfelt thanks to the mentors, tutors, and partnering institutions who made this fellowship possible—Prof. Torsten Plösch (University of Groningen), Prof. Marcela Augusta de Souza Pinhel (São José do Rio Preto School of Medicine – FAMERP), and Prof. Dorotéia Rossi Silva Souza (FAMERP) for their human-centered approach to science.
Together, these findings support a more compassionate and realistic vision for obesity treatment—one that blends precision tools with human‑centered, long‑term support for patients across Latin America and the Caribbean.
