Linkage Analysis of Body Mass Index in the Framingham Heart Study
Author Information
Author(s): Cheng Rong, Park Naeun, Hodge Susan E, Juo Suh-Hang Hank
Primary Institution: Columbia University
Hypothesis
Can gene × time interactions affect body mass index (BMI) across different ages?
Conclusion
The study suggests that genetic influences on BMI may change with age and that using mean values from longitudinal data can reduce the ability to detect these changes.
Supporting Evidence
- Linkage analysis showed consistent evidence of quantitative trait loci (QTLs) on chromosomes 3, 6, 9, and 16.
- Using mean values from longitudinal data may reduce the power to detect linkage.
- Gene × environment interactions were observed with increasing LOD scores with age.
Takeaway
This study looked at how genes might affect body weight as people get older, and it found that using average measurements can sometimes miss important details.
Methodology
Linkage analyses were performed on BMI data from three different years and the mean of those years using the SOLAR program.
Potential Biases
Potential type II errors may occur when only mean values are analyzed.
Limitations
The study may lose power to detect interactions when only mean values are analyzed.
Participant Demographics
The study included 4692 subjects from 330 pedigrees, with most pedigrees consisting of 4 to 10 subjects across two generations.
Statistical Information
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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