Two international studies that involved analysis of DNA from thousands of people looked at Crohn's disease and female puberty.

The Crohn's research project involved about 22, 000 people from about 15 countries. Around one in 500 people in the UK are affected by this disease.

About 39 new gene variants associated with Crohn's were identified by the researchers, bringing the total to 71. This means that than any other disease more genes are linked to Crohn's.

People who were affected by this condition faced diarrhoea, weight loss and vomiting and this is inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract that might eventually require surgery to remove part of gut.

The research was led by Dr Miles Parkes a gastroenterologist at Cambridge University Hospitals.

He said, "Any of the genes identified might hold the key to beating Crohn's disease via the development of new drug treatments."

About 30 genes that controlled the age at which women reached puberty were found by the other study. An important role was played in how a woman's body metabolizes fat by certain genes that were found by the international group of scientists, including researchers at the Medical Research Council.

New biological links between going through puberty at a young age and being at increased risk of obesity were established, the researchers suggested.