Comparison between two analytic strategies to detect linkage to obesity with genetically determined age of onset: the Framingham Heart Study
2003

Linkage Analysis of Obesity Genes in the Framingham Heart Study

Sample size: 1702 publication Evidence: moderate

Author Information

Author(s): Corinne D Engelman, Heather L Brady, Anna E Baron, Jill M Norris

Primary Institution: Department of Preventive Medicine and Biometrics, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, Denver, Colorado, USA

Hypothesis

Can different analytic strategies effectively detect genetic linkage to obesity based on age of onset?

Conclusion

The study found that only one region showed consistent results between two analytic methods for detecting genetic linkage to obesity.

Supporting Evidence

  • Five regions showed suggestive evidence for linkage to obesity.
  • The study utilized two analytic methods to explore genetic factors related to obesity.
  • The results indicated that different methods may yield different insights into genetic linkage.

Takeaway

Scientists looked for genes that might cause obesity and found some clues, but not all methods agreed on the results.

Methodology

The study used genome-wide linkage analysis on sibling pairs from the Framingham Heart Study, applying two different analytic methods.

Potential Biases

There may be risks of bias due to phenocopies and phenotypic heterogeneity affecting the analysis.

Limitations

The study may have been limited by the small number of affected sibling pairs and the potential for environmental factors to influence obesity.

Participant Demographics

The study included 1702 individuals from 330 pedigrees, with a focus on those with an age of onset of obesity before 35.

Statistical Information

P-Value

p<0.01

Statistical Significance

p<0.05

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1186/1471-2156-4-S1-S90

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