Genome-Wide Association Study of Extremely Overweight Young Adults – The GOYA Study
Author Information
Author(s): Paternoster Lavinia, Evans David M., Aagaard Nohr Ellen, Holst Claus, Gaborieau Valerie, Brennan Paul, Prior Gjesing Anette, Grarup Niels, Witte Daniel R., Jørgensen Torben, Linneberg Allan, Lauritzen Torsten, Sandbaek Anelli, Hansen Torben, Pedersen Oluf, Elliott Katherine S., Kemp John P., St. Pourcain Beate, McMahon George, Zelenika Diana, Hager Jörg, Lathrop Mark, Timpson Nicholas J., Davey Smith George, Sørensen Thorkild I. A.
Primary Institution: MRC CAiTE centre, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
Hypothesis
Can an extreme sampling design identify new genetic variants associated with body mass index (BMI) in extremely overweight young adults?
Conclusion
The study found that the genetic variation associated with extreme overweight is similar to that found in general BMI studies, suggesting that extreme sampling can effectively identify common variants influencing BMI.
Supporting Evidence
- The study identified SNPs at three loci known to be associated with BMI with genome-wide confidence.
- Strong evidence of association was found at several known loci including FTO, MC4R, and FAIM2.
- Meta-analyses identified no novel associations, indicating the study's focus on known genetic variants.
Takeaway
Researchers looked at very overweight young people to find genes that might affect weight. They found that the genes linked to being very overweight are similar to those found in regular weight studies.
Methodology
The study used a genome-wide association approach with a case-cohort design, comparing extremely overweight individuals to population-based controls.
Potential Biases
The extreme sampling design may not always increase power to detect common variants if the extremes are not enriched for common alleles.
Limitations
The study did not identify any new BMI loci that reached genome-wide significance, and the power to detect rare variants may be limited.
Participant Demographics
The study included 2,633 extremely overweight young adults from Denmark, with a control group of 2,740 individuals.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.001
Statistical Significance
p<0.001
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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