Abstract
Background: The increasing prevalence of obesity in children has raised the incidence of Metabolic Syndrome (MetS) in this age group. Given the short- and long-term health impact of MetS, it is essential to prevent its onset by detecting its main triggers. Besides, genetic factors play an essential role in influencing which individuals within a population are most likely to develop obesity in response to a particular environment. In this regard, a common variation in the FTO gene is reproducibly associated with BMI and obesity from childhood and the genetic load has been linked to several cardiovascular risk factors, highlighting the FTO single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) rs9939609. Therefore, this study aimed to establish the relationship between the FTO SNP rs9939609 and MetS. Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out on 220 children from the Biobío region (Chile). MetS diagnosis was established through the modified Cook criteria, using prevalence ratios, COR curves, and linear regressions to determine its association with MetS and its components. Results: The prevalence of MetS was significantly increased among carriers of the risk allele (A): TT, 20.2%; TA, 25.4%; AA, 44.7% (p = 0.006). Also, the presence of A was associated with altered MetS-related variables. Conclusions: The FTO SNP rs9939609 was associated with a raised prevalence of MetS among A allele carriers, and was higher in the homozygous genotype (AA).
Highlights
Obesity is a highly prevalent chronic health problem associated with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus, heart disease, metabolic syndrome, hypertension, stroke, and certain forms of cancer
More than 97 genetic polymorphisms associated with a higher body mass index (BMI) had been reported [14], and a meta-analysis summarized the existence of 738 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) associated with various adiposity markers [15]
This research aimed to determine whether the different genotypes associated with the polymorphism rs9939609 correlate to an increased susceptibility to Metabolic Syndrome (MetS) in children
Summary
Obesity is a highly prevalent chronic health problem associated with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus, heart disease, metabolic syndrome, hypertension, stroke, and certain forms of cancer. This problem affects over 340 million children and adolescents. Despite the large number of genetic variants related to obesity, the rs9939609 polymorphism of the FTO gene has been more studied due to its effect on increasing BMI This association has been confirmed in different populations of adults and children worldwide [16,17,18,19]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary 
Published Version (
Free)
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call