Dataset Information

Associations of obesity genes with obesity-related outcomes in multiethnic children.

ABSTRACT:

Background and aims

Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified several loci that are associated with body mass index (BMI = kg/m(2)). However, little is known regarding whether the genetic basis of BMI differs among children of diverse racial/ethnic backgrounds, how the cumulative effect of these genes influences weight, or the contribution of these variants to body composition. This study examined the association between 17 GWAS-identified loci located in 16 genes and body-composition phenotypes in a multiethnic pediatric sample and evaluated the association of a composite genetic risk score with these phenotypes.

Methods

Anthropometric measures of BMI, waist circumference and waist-to-hip ratio were obtained in a sample of 298 children. Lean and fat mass were obtained from dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Genotypes of 17 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were tested for association with the phenotypic measures, adjusted by standard covariates and estimates of genetic admixture.

Results

Both SNPs rs8050136 and rs9939609 in FTO were associated with BMI and waist circumference in a direction opposite to that observed among adults, and an inverse association was detected between the risk variant in MC4R and total lean body mass. Lean body mass mediated the association between TMEM18 and BMI. The association between the genetic risk score and body composition differed according to ethnic/racial classification.

Conclusions

Our findings suggest that genetic associations with BMI among children are different from those in adults, that some loci may operate through lean body mass, and that genetic risk scores will not have universal applicability across ethnic/racial groups.

SUBMITTER: Klimentidis YC

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3541020 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

Associations of obesity genes with obesity-related outcomes in multiethnic children.

Klimentidis Yann C YC Chen Guo-Bo GB López-Alarcón Mardia M Harris Jacqueline J JJ Duarte Christine W CW Fernández José R JR

Archives of medical research 20110801 6

<h4>Background and aims</h4>Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified several loci that are associated with body mass index (BMI = kg/m(2)). However, little is known regarding whether the genetic basis of BMI differs among children of diverse racial/ethnic backgrounds, how the cumulative effect of these genes influences weight, or the contribution of these variants to body composition. This study examined the association between 17 GWAS-identified loci located in 16 genes and body-c ...[more]

PMID: 22051089

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Project description:The obesity prevalence in children and adolescents has increased worldwide during the past 30 years. Although diet has been identified as one risk factor for developing obesity in this age group, the role of specific dietary factors is still unclear. One way to gain insight into the role of these factors might be to detect biomarkers that reflect metabolic health and to identify the associations between dietary factors and these biomarkers. This would enable nutrition-related metabolic changes to be detected early in life, which might be a promising strategy to prevent childhood obesity. However, existing literature offers only inconclusive evidence for diet and some of these obesity-related biomarkers (e.g., blood lipids). We thus conducted a systematic literature review to further examine eligible studies that investigate associations between dietary factors and 12 obesity-related biomarkers in healthy children and adolescents aged 3-18 years.We searched the scientific databases PubMed/Medline and Web of Science Core Collection for potentially eligible articles. Our final literature search resulted in 2727 hits. After the selection process, we included 81 articles that reported on 1111 single observations on dietary factors and any of the obesity-related biomarkers.Around 81% of the total observations showed nonsignificant results. For many biomarkers we did not find enough observations to draw clear conclusions on possible associations between a dietary factor and the respective biomarker. In cases where we identified enough observations, the results were contradictory. Since these nonsignificant and inconclusive findings may impede the development of effective strategies against childhood obesity, this article takes a closer look at possible reasons for such findings. In addition, it provides action points for future research efforts.In conclusion, current evidence on associations between dietary factors and obesity-related biomarkers is inconclusive. We thus provided an overview on which specific limitations may impede current research. Such knowledge is necessary to enable future research efforts to better elucidate the role of diet in the early stages of obesity development.

Project description:BackgroundChildhood obesity is a world-wide concern due to its growing prevalence and association with cardiometabolic risk factors in childhood and subsequent adult cardiovascular disease. In young pre-school children, there is uncertainty regarding which of the commonly used anthropometric measures of childhood obesity is best associated with cardiometabolic risk factors. This study compared the utility of common measures used in identifying obesity in these young children.MethodsThe four commonly used metrics for identifying obesity in children: body fat percentage ≥ 90th percentile, waist circumference ≥ 90th percentile, BMI z score > 2 SD and waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) ≥ 0.5, were measured in a cohort of children born singleton, at full term and followed from birth (n = 761) to 5 years of age (n = 513). The utility of each in identifying cardiometabolic risk factors (fasting lipid profile, fasting blood glucose and blood pressure) was examined.ResultsAt age 5 years, children with percent body fat ≥ 90th percentile or waist circumference ≥ 90th percentile, were associated with higher levels of triglycerides, glucose, and systolic and diastolic blood pressures than those < 90th percentile, respectively. Such differences were not obvious at age 3 years or at birth. A BMI z-score > 2 SD was associated with higher levels of triglycerides and systolic and diastolic blood pressure but not glucose at age 5 years. Differences in HDL cholesterol, fasting glucose and systolic blood pressure were observed in children with BMI z score > 2 SD at age 3 years but not with the other indices of obesity. As almost all children had WHtR ≥ 0.5 at birth, ages 1 and 3 years, this measure could not differentiate increased cardiometabolic risk. At age 5 years, the differences were much more obvious, with significant differences in triglycerides and systolic and diastolic blood pressures between those with WHtR ≥ 0.5 and those with < 0.5.ConclusionEach of the four commonly used measures of childhood obesity shows moderate associations with cardiometabolic risk factors at 5 years, with no advantage of one measure over the other. These associations were less consistent at 3 years of age or younger. These observations have not been reported previously.

Dataset Information

Associations of obesity genes with obesity-related outcomes in multiethnic children.

Background and aims

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Publications

Associations of obesity genes with obesity-related outcomes in multiethnic children.

Similar Datasets

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