Lousy Figure? Blame Mom and Dad

Still struggling to get that 36-24-36 figure? Science can’t help you, but it can explain why some girls are leaner than others, reports the Telegraph. Researchers have found a link between parental DNA and female muscle mass, which could explain “why many people will never obtain the perfect figure,” says the head researcher.

The study concluded that genes were to blame for more than half the differences in female body sizes—but don’t ditch the weight-loss plan just yet. “The good news is that women still have an opportunity to go against their genetic constitution and do something about it,” says another researcher. Just start sweating it out when you're young: What women can do about their weight as they age "is relatively little," he adds. (More gene pool stories.)