There is a taboo in our modern world that comes part and parcel with gaining weight, or with being classified as overweight.

There’s the assumption that people who carry extra weight just don’t have the self-control to say no to unhealthy food, but science has suggested for some time that’s not the whole story.

This recent study seems to show there is definitely a genetic component to gaining weight.

The international team of researchers detail how they believe a mutation of the SMIM1 gene has a significant link to extra weight gain.

This is due to how it impacts the thyroid function in some individuals.

Their dataset represents half a million British residents with various lifestyle and biological information, comparing people with the functional SMIM1 gene to those with mutated versions.

They found that those with the mutated version struggled with extra weight gain, high cholesterol, high liver enzymes, and other symptoms of being overweight.

It also affects the thyroid’s ability to regulate metabolism, which in turn impedes the ability to burn energy.

Two people could therefore eat the same diet, but those with the faulty gene would burn fewer calories on a daily basis.

Lead author Mattia Brontini told CNN they hope their research will help move the needle on handling obesity.

“Obesity’s causes are very complex and in the majority of cases, the combination of many factors. In this study, however, we found a clear genetic trigger for obesity.”

Women with this mutation weigh around 10.14 pounds more than their average counterpart, while men carry an extra 5.29 pounds (on average).

The genetic mutation affects around 1 out of every 5,000 people, but the authors believe there could be other genes that affect weight gain similarly.

Knowing why some people have more trouble maintaining a healthy weight is the first step in being able to treat it.

And this study pushes researchers in a very encouraging direction.

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