Association between genetic obesity susceptibility and mother-reported eating behaviour in children up to 5years.

Abstract

Many genetic polymorphisms identified by genome-wide association studies for adult body mass index (BMI) have been suggested to regulate food intake. The objective was to study the associations between a genetic obesity risk score, appetitive traits, and growth of children up to age 5years, with a longitudinal design. In 1142 children from the Etude des Déterminants pre et post natals de la santé de l'ENfant (EDEN) birth cohort, a combined obesity risk-allele score (BMI genetic risk score [GRS]) was related to appetitive traits (energy intake up to 12mo, a single item on appetite from 4mo to 3y, a validated appetite score at 5y) using Poisson regressions with robust standard errors. The potential mediation of appetitive traits on the association between BMI-GRS and growth was assessed by the Sobel test. Children with a high BMI-GRS were more likely to have high energy intake at 1year and high appetite at 2 and 5years. High energy intake in infancy and high appetite from 1year were related to higher subsequent BMI. High 2-year appetite seemed to partially mediate the associations between BMI-GRS and BMI from 2 to 5years (all P≤0.05). Genetic susceptibility to childhood obesity seems to be partially explained by appetitive traits in infancy, followed by an early childhood rise in BMI.