Abstract
ObjectiveRecent genome-wide association studies have identified many single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with body mass index (BMI)/generalized obesity. In this study, we aimed to examine the associations of identified SNPs with risk of central obesity in a child population from China.MethodsWe genotyped 11 SNPs (FTO rs9939609, MC4R rs17782313, GNPDA2 rs10938397, BDNF rs6265, FAIM2 rs7138803, NPC1 rs1805081, SEC16B rs10913469, SH2B1 rs4788102, PCSK1rs6235, KCTD15 rs29941, BAT2 rs2844479) in the Chinese children (N = 3502, age range 6–18 years) from the Beijing Child and Adolescent Metabolic Syndrome (BCAMS). Based on the age- and sex- specific waist circumference (WC) standards generated in the BCAMS study, 1196 central obese cases and 2306 controls were identified.ResultsOf 11 studied SNPs, four SNPs and genetic risk score (GRS) based on them were statistically significantly associated with central obesity by WC criteria (FTO rs9939609: OR = 1.29, 95%CI = 1.10–1.50, p = 0.001; MC4R rs17782313: OR = 1.27, 95%CI = 1.12–1.44, p = 1.32×10−4; GNPDA2 rs10938397: OR = 1.22, 95%CI = 1.09–1.37, p = 4.09×10−4; BDNF rs6265: OR = 1.20, 95%CI = 1.08–1.34, p = 8.86×10−4; GRS: OR = 1.25, 95%CI 1.16–1.34, p = 2.58×10−9) after adjustment for sex, age, pubertal stage, physical activity and family history of obesity. Similar observations were made using weight-to-height ratio (WHtR) criterion. However, other SNPs were not associated with central obesity by WC as well as WHtR criterion.ConclusionsOur study replicates the statistically significant association of four SNPs (FTO rs9939609, MC4R rs17782313, GNPDA2 rs10938397, BDNF rs6265) with risk of central obesity in the Chinese children.
Highlights
Obesity is a serious public health issue worldwide including the developing countries like China [1,2]
Our recent study based on nearly 20,000 Chinese children indicated that compared to individuals with generalized obesity, those with central obesity are more likely to have metabolic syndrome [8]
We aimed to examine the associations of these 11 genome-wide association studies (GWASs)-identified single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) with central obesity and to investigate the joint effect of these SNPs on central obesity among the Chinese children
Summary
Obesity is a serious public health issue worldwide including the developing countries like China [1,2]. It is well established that childhood obesity is associated with many cardiovascular risk factors such as hypertension, dyslipidemia, metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes in children and in adults [3]. Obesity is usually defined according to body mass index (BMI) cut-offs. As assessed by waist circumference (WC), is more strongly associated with the risk of hypertension, dyslipidaemia, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer and all-cause mortality than generalized obesity as defined by BMI [6,7]. Our recent study based on nearly 20,000 Chinese children indicated that compared to individuals with generalized obesity, those with central obesity are more likely to have metabolic syndrome [8]. Effective measures are required to prevent and control childhood central obesity in order to reduce the risk of chronic diseases in adult life
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