Final answer:
A person with a predisposition to store fat and require fewer calories may have inherited a slow metabolism. Genetics and lifestyle factors such as diet and exercise are crucial for managing this tendency and reducing health risks associated with obesity.
Step-by-step explanation:
A person who needs fewer calories and stores fat more readily than the average human may have inherited a slow metabolism. This is often related to the thrifty gene hypothesis, which suggests that some people have genetics that enable them to utilize food energy more efficiently. As such, people with a slow metabolism burn fewer calories at rest and during activity, which might contribute to weight gain if their caloric intake exceeds their energy expenditure.
Factors like genetics, inactivity, metabolism, and the body's set point influence one's predisposition to store fat, especially in the abdomen as central obesity, which is a major risk factor for metabolic syndrome and related noninfectious diseases. Lifestyle changes, specifically improvements in diet and exercise, are recommended to manage body fat and mitigate these health risks.
Individuals from different ethnic backgrounds, such as Indians and Chinese, may have inherently different basal metabolic rates (BMR) compared to Europeans, potentially due to both genetics and dietary habits. Moreover, people living in tropical climates often have higher BMRs. Diets rich in calories, mainly from excess carbohydrates, and a decline in physical activity due to technological advancements contribute to obesity rates globally.