the dailymash

Experts say the gene not only prevents hefty children from telling when they are full, but also forces their parents to give them bucket after bucket of chips and fried meat.

A recent study, published in the Journal of Clinical Roly-Poliness, found the 'FTO' gene means a porky child is less likely to have its appetite 'switched off', while the parents are more likely to be a pair of total retards.

Elaine Reeves, from Chesterfield, had been shoving cake into her delighted, but chubby eight year-old since he was a toddler.

"He'd had his tea and his dinner and was just sitting down to supper. He liked cake, so I always gave him loads and loads of cake.

"I'd nipped into the garden to slaughter a pig when I heard this big bang. I looked in the window and there were just bits of cake and Man Utd shirt everywhere."

She added: "Doctor said his genes were all wonky. He was my brave little 168-pound soldier."

But geneticist Dr Wayne Hayes said: "The thing about children is, they're children. And you're not. You are in charge of them.

"This means that when your child develops the look and feel of a bean bag, it's probably time to put down the shovel."