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Association of the FTO Gene With BMI
Author(s) -
Hunt Steven C.,
Stone Steven,
Xin Yuanpei,
Scherer Christina A.,
Magness Charles L.,
Iadonato Shawn P.,
Hopkins Paul N.,
Adams Ted D.
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
obesity
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.438
H-Index - 199
eISSN - 1930-739X
pISSN - 1930-7381
DOI - 10.1038/oby.2007.126
Subject(s) - fto gene , obesity , medicine , longitudinal study , demography , genotype , allele , snp , body mass index , population , allele frequency , polymorphism (computer science) , single nucleotide polymorphism , genetics , gene , biology , pathology , environmental health , sociology
Variants in the FTO gene have been strongly associated with obesity in a very large sample (38,759) of diabetic and control subjects. To replicate these findings, the previously reported SNP in the FTO gene (rs9939609, T/A) was genotyped in 5,607 subjects from five different Utah studies. The studies included a random sample of the Utah population, families selected for aggregation of extreme thinness, families selected for severe obesity, a series of unrelated severe obesity subjects, and families participating in a 25‐year longitudinal study of cardiovascular disease and aging. Results show a strong significant increase in the rs9939609 A allele frequency with increasing BMI ( P < 0.0001). In the longitudinal study, FTO genotypes were significantly associated with BMI at a baseline exam, a 2½‐year follow‐up exam and a 25‐year follow‐up exam using an additive genetic model. The mean genotype difference in BMI ranged from 1.3 to 2.1 kg/m 2 across exams. The genotype difference in BMI means was established in youth, and at‐risk subjects under age 20 at baseline had a significantly larger 25‐year BMI increase (10.0 for A/A; 9.7 for A/T, and 8.5 kg/m 2 for T/T, P = 0.05). We conclude that the BMI increases associated with FTO genotypes begin in youth and are maintained throughout adulthood.