Abstract
The aim of our study was to investigate a large cohort of overweight subjects consuming a homogeneous diet to identify the genetic factors associated with weight loss that could be used as predictive markers in weight loss interventions. We retrospectively recruited subjects (N = 788) aged over 18 years with a Body Mass Index (BMI) between 25 and 40 kg/m2 who were treated at our lipid unit for at least one year from 2008 to 2016, and we also recruited a control group (168 patients) with normal BMIs. All participants received counselling from a nutritionist that included healthy diet and physical activity recommendations. We genotyped 25 single nucleotide variants (SNVs) in 25 genes that were previously associated with obesity and calculated genetic scores that were derived from 25 SNVs. The risk allele in CADM2 showed a higher frequency in overweight and obese subjects than in controls (p = 0.007). The mean follow-up duration was 5.58 ± 2.68 years. Subjects with lower genetic scores showed greater weight loss during the follow-up period. The genetic score was the variable that best explained the variations in weight from the baseline. The genetic score explained 2.4% of weight change variance at one year and 1.6% of weight change variance at the end of the follow-up period after adjusting for baseline weight, sex, age and years of follow-up.
Highlights
Obesity is one of the greatest public health problems that threatens both developed and non-developed countries
A recent genome-wide association study (GWAS) led to the discovery more than 940 independent single nucleotide variants (SNVs), which are associated with body mass index (BMI)[15]
To analyse the change in excess weight body independently of SNVs, we studied the body weight loss according to genetic score quartiles
Summary
Obesity is one of the greatest public health problems that threatens both developed and non-developed countries. It is estimated that for each unit of increased body mass index (BMI), the risk of CVD increases by 8%3. Adherence is a major determinant in the response to a weight-loss intervention, a genetic component has been recently demonstrated[7,8]. This is coherent considering that the development of obesity has a strong genetic component[9] and that approximately 50–70% of variance in BMI is attributable to genetic differences[10]. Monogenic or oligogenic non-syndromic forms of obesity have been described in patients with homozygous or heterozygous compound loss-of-function mutations in genes that are part of the leptin melanocortin pathway: LEP, LEPR, POMC, PCSK1 and MC4R13. Based on the results of all GWASs, the FTO gene is viewed as the main contributor to polygenic obesity in the European population[13]
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