Furthermore, there is evidence that children and adults carrying obesity risk alleles, especially in or near the FTO and MC4R genes, have less healthy eating behaviour patterns such as higher energy and fat intakes and higher tendency for snacking10, 11, 12, 13, 14, albeit contrasting results have also been reported15, 16, 17. This evidence concerns the gene FTO and obesity due to melanocortin 4 receptor deficiency.