Association among obesity-related anthropometric phenotypes: analyzing genetic and environmental contribution

Obesity has become a public-health and policy problem in many parts of the world. Epidemiological and population studies in this field are usually based on different anthropometric measures; however, common genetic and environmental factors between these phenotypes have been scarcely studied. The objective of this article is to assess the strength of these factors on the covariation among a large set of obesity-related traits. The subject group consisted of 533 nuclear families living in the Greater Bilbao (Spain), and included 1,702 individuals aged 2-61 years. Detailed anthropometric measurements (stature, breadths, circumferences and skinfolds) were carried out in each subject. Bivariate quantitative genetic analyses were performed using a variance-components procedure implemented in the software SOLAR. The results revealed that the majority of these traits is affected by common genetic and environmental factors. All correlations were significantly different from 1 and varied from non-significant to very high (>0.90, P < 0.0001), with clearly lower pleiotropic effects among pairs including fat-distribution traits. Despite the strong common genetic effects detected among phenotypes determining the amount of body fat and mass, there is a residual genetic influence on the local fatness measures that cannot be explained exclusively by the genetic influence on overall fatness. Moreover, the observed relationships confirm a partially different genetic control of truncal and peripheral fat. In conclusion, our findings highlight the relevance of considering different types of traits in the prevention and treatment of obesity, as well as in the search for genes involved in its development

A statistical investigation into the sharing of common genetic factors between blood pressure and obesity phenotypes in nuclear families from the Greater Bilbao (Spain)

Objectives: Several obesity phenotypes (e.g. body mass and fat, fat distribution) have been suggested to be a risk for elevated blood pressure. This study was undertaken to determine the heritability of four blood pressure phenotypes: SBP, DBP, pulse pressure (PP) and mean arterial pressure (MAP) and to assess the strength of genetic and environmental correlations among these phenotypes, and also between blood pressure and the different obesity-related traits. Methods: The studied sample consisted of 429 nuclear families living in the Greater Bilbao (Spain) and included 1302 individuals aged 4-61 years. Univariate and bivariate quantitative genetic analyses were performed using a variance components procedure implemented in Sequential Oligogenic Linkage Analysis Routines software. Results: SBP, DBP, PP and MAP were significantly influenced by genetic factors with heritability estimates of 0.25, 0.28, 0.14 and 0.31, respectively, and presented high genetic and environmental correlations between them (except DBP-PP). On the contrary, whereas SBP, DBP and MAP showed common environmental factors with almost all body mass and fat-related traits, pleiotropic effects were only detected for some pairs, especially for those phenotypes that included skinfolds. In contrast, PP did not exhibit common genetic or environmental factors with obesity phenotypes in the studied population Conclusion: Blood pressure and obesity phenotypes do not share, in general, a substantial influence of common genetic and environmental effects. Finally, the results obtained revealed the importance of the amount of adipose tissue in the genetic correlations with SBP, DBP and MAP, at least, during the growth period

Association of height and pubertal timing with lipoprotein subclass profile: exploring the role of genetic and environmental effects

Objectives: Little is known about the relationship between growth and lipoprotein profile. We aimed to analyze common genetic and environmental factors in the association of height from late childhood to adulthood and pubertal timing with serum lipid and lipoprotein subclass profile. Methods: A longitudinal cohort of Finnish twin pairs (FinnTwin12) was analysed using self-reported height at 11-12, 14, 17 years and measured stature at adult age (21-24 years). Data were available for 719 individual twins including 298 complete pairs. Serum lipids and lipoprotein subclasses were measured by proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Multivariate variance component models for twin data were fitted. Cholesky decomposition was used to partition the phenotypic covariation among traits into additive genetic and unique environmental correlations. Results: In men, the strongest associations for both adult height and puberty were observed with total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, intermediate-density lipoprotein cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein particle subclasses (max. r = -0.19). In women, the magnitude of the correlations was weaker (max. r = -0.13). Few associations were detected between height during adolescence and adult lipid profile. Early onset of puberty was related to an adverse lipid profile, but delayed pubertal development in girls was associated with an unfavorable profile, as well. All associations were mediated mainly by additive genetic factors, but unique environmental effects cannot be disregarded. Conclusions: Early puberty and shorter adult height relate to higher concentrations of atherogenic lipids and lipoprotein particles in early adulthood. Common genetic effects behind these phenotypes substantially contribute to the observed associations

Genetic regulation of body size and morphology in children: a twin study of 22 anthropometric traits

Background Anthropometric measures show high heritability, and genetic correlations have been found between obesity-related traits. However, we lack a comprehensive analysis of the genetic background of human body morphology using detailed anthropometric measures. Methods Height, weight, 7 skinfold thicknesses, 7 body circumferences and 4 body diameters (skeletal breaths) were measured in 214 pairs of twin children aged 3–18 years (87 monozygotic pairs) in the Autonomous Region of Madeira, Portugal. Factor analysis (Varimax rotation) was used to analyze the underlying structure of body physique. Genetic twin modeling was used to estimate genetic and environmental contributions to the variation and co-variation of the anthropometric traits. Results Together, two factors explained 80% of the variation of all 22 anthropometric traits in boys and 73% in girls. Obesity measures (body mass index, skinfold thickness measures, as well as waist and hip circumferences) and limb circumferences loaded most strongly on the first factor, whereas height and body diameters loaded especially on the second factor. These factors as well as all anthropometric measures showed high heritability (80% or more for most of the traits), whereas the rest of the variation was explained by environmental factors not shared by co-twins. Obesity measures showed high genetic correlations (0.75–0.98). Height showed the highest genetic correlations with body diameter measures (0.58–0.76). Correlations between environmental factors not shared by co-twins were weaker than the genetic correlations but still substantial. The correlation patterns were roughly similar in boys and girls. Conclusions Our results show high genetic correlations underlying the human body physique, suggesting that there are sets of genes widely affecting anthropometric traits. Better knowledge of these genetic variants can help to understand the development of obesity and other features of the human physique.The project “Genetic and environmental influences on physical activity, fitness and health: the Madeira family study” was supported by FCT - Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (The Portuguese National Funding Agency for Science, Research and Technology), reference POCI/DES/56834/2004. Open Access funding provided by University of Helsinki including Helsinki University Central Hospital

Índice de masa corporal y patrones de distribución de grasa en adultos de la CAV

Se han analizado la frecuencia de sobrepeso/obesidad y los modelos de distribución de grasa en una muestra de población adulta de ambos sexos residente en la CAV. Se comprueba si existen variaciones en función del sexo y edad, y se analiza la relación entre el índice de masa corporal (IMC) y los patrones de distribución de la grasa subcutánea.EAEn bizi diren bi sexuetako populazio helduaren lagin batean, gehiegizko pisuaren/obesitatearen maiztasuna eta gantz banaketaren ereduak aztertu dira. Sexuaren eta adinaren araberako aldaketak ote diren egiaztatzen da, eta gorputz masaren indizearen (IMC) eta larruazalpeko gantz banaketaren ereduen arteko erlazioa aztertzen da.On a analysé la fréquence de surpoids/obésité et les modèles de distribution de graisse dans un modèle de population adulte des deux sexes résidant dans la Communauté Autonome Basque. On vérifie s'il existe des variations en fonction du sexe et de l'âge, et on analyse la relation entre l'indice de masse corporelle (IMC) et les patrons de distribution de la graisse sous-cutanée.An analysis is made of the frequency of excess weight/obesity and the models of fat distribution in a sampling of adult population of both sexes residing in the Basque Autonomous Community. Checks are carried out to see if there are variations depending on sex or age and ananalysis is made of the relationship between the index of corporal mass and the patterns of distribution of sub cutaneous fat

Grado de adiposidad y satisfacción con la imagen

Se ha estudiado la relación entre la adiposidad, los hábitos alimenticios y la satisfacción con la imagen corporal en una muestra de adultos de ambos sexos, residentes en la CAV. La mayor parte de la población estudiada opina que sus hábitos de alimentación son adecuados, pero muestra una clara preocupación por padecer sobrepeso u obesidad y por su propia imagen.Gizentasunaren, jateko ohituren eta gorputz irudiarekiko pozbidearen arteko erlazioa aztertu da bizilekua duten EAEn bi sexuetako helduen lagin batean. Azterturiko herritar gehienen ustez, beren jateko ohiturak egokiak dira, baina gehiegizko pisuarekiko eta irudiarekiko kezka garbia agertzen dute.On a étudié le lien entre l'adiposité, les habitudes alimentaires et la satisfaction avec l'image corporelle chez un groupe d'adultes des deux sexes, résidants dans la CAV. La plus grande partie de la population étudiée pense que leurs habitudes alimentaires sont adéquates, mais montre une nette préoccupation pour leur surpoids ou obésité et pour leur image.This is a study on the relationship between adiposity, food habits and satisfaction with corporal image in a sampling of adults from both sexes residing in the Autonomous Community of the Basque Country. Most of the population studied believes that its food habits are adequate, while expressing a clear concern about suffering from excess weight or obesity and concern for their own image