No link found between BMI and certain genes in children
Author Information
Author(s): Claire Haworth, Lee Butcher, Sophia Docherty, Jane Wardle, Robert Plomin
Primary Institution: King's College London
Hypothesis
Do candidate genes associated with BMI in adults also show associations with BMI in children?
Conclusion
The study found no significant associations between the ten candidate genes and BMI in children, suggesting that these genetic influences may not be the same throughout development.
Supporting Evidence
- The study had 80% power to detect associations accounting for as little as 0.2% of the variance of BMI.
- Despite the large sample size, none of the 10 SNPs were significantly associated with BMI at any age.
- Two SNPs showed trends in the expected direction but did not reach statistical significance.
Takeaway
The researchers looked at whether certain genes linked to weight in adults also affect kids' weight, but they didn't find any connections.
Methodology
The study analyzed 10 SNPs in a sample of 5000 children at ages 4, 7, and 10 using the Quantitative Transmission Disequilibrium Test.
Limitations
The study relied on parental reports for children's heights and weights, which may not be entirely accurate.
Participant Demographics
The sample consisted of twins born in the UK between 1994 and 1996, with a mix of monozygotic and dizygotic twins.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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