Birth weight within the normal range is associated with a variety of
adult-onset diseases, but the mechanisms behind these associations are
poorly understood(1). Previous genome-wide association studies of birth
weight identified a variant in the ADCY5 gene associated both with birth
weight and type 2 diabetes and a second variant, near CCNL1, with no
obvious link to adult traits(2). In an expanded genome-wide association
metaanalysis and follow-up study of birth weight (of up to 69,308
individuals of European descent from 43 studies), we have now extended
the number of loci associated at genome-wide significance to 7,
accounting for a similar proportion of variance as maternal smoking.
Five of the loci are known to be associated with other phenotypes: ADCY5
and CDKAL1 with type 2 diabetes, ADRB1 with adult blood pressure and
HMGA2 and LCORL with adult height. Our findings highlight genetic links
between fetal growth and postnatal growth and metabolism
