Genetic Variants in the FTO Gene and Obesity
Author Information
Author(s): Angelo Scuteri, Serena Sanna, Wei-Min Chen, Manuela Uda, Giuseppe Albai, James Strait, Samer Najjar, Ramaiah Nagaraja, Marco Orrú, Gianluca Usala, Mariano Dei, Sandra Lai, Andrea Maschio, Fabio Busonero, Antonella Mulas, Georg B. Ehret, Ashley A. Fink, Alan B. Weder, Richard S. Cooper, Pilar Galan, Aravinda Chakravarti, David Schlessinger, Antonio Cao, Edward Lakatta, Gonçalo R. Abecasis
Primary Institution: Istituto per la Patologia Endocrina e Metabolica, Rome, Italy
Hypothesis
Are genetic variants in the FTO gene associated with obesity-related traits?
Conclusion
Common genetic variants in the FTO gene are associated with significant changes in BMI, hip circumference, and body weight.
Supporting Evidence
- Initial analysis suggested several SNPs in the FTO gene were associated with increased BMI.
- Homozygotes for the rare 'G' allele of rs9930506 were 1.3 BMI units heavier than those with the common 'A' allele.
- Replication in European Americans and Hispanic Americans confirmed the association with BMI.
- Statistical analysis showed significant associations with p-values less than 0.001.
Takeaway
Scientists found that certain genes can make people heavier. One gene, called FTO, is linked to being overweight.
Methodology
A genome-wide association scan was conducted on 6,148 individuals from Sardinia to identify SNPs associated with obesity-related traits.
Potential Biases
Potential population stratification and relatedness among individuals could introduce bias.
Limitations
The study may not generalize to populations outside of Sardinia, and the association with some SNPs was not replicated in all populations.
Participant Demographics
Participants were 6,148 individuals aged 14-102 from Sardinia, including both males and females.
Statistical Information
P-Value
8.6 × 10−7
Statistical Significance
p<0.001
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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