Genetic score tied to weight gain from childhood to adulthood
Researchers led by Amit Khera at the Broad Institute and Massachusetts General Hospital built a polygenic predictor from 2.1 million common DNA variants and tested it in more than 300,000 people, from birth through middle age. Among middle-aged adults, weight varied by 13 kilograms across score deciles, and the risk of severe obesity varied 25-fold. In a separate birth cohort followed over time, birthweight barely differed by decile, but a gap in weight opened up in early childhood and grew to 12 kilograms by age 18.
The score does not treat or prevent obesity on its own, but it could help identify people with inherited obesity susceptibility for prevention research.
Source: Polygenic Prediction of Weight and Obesity Trajectories from Birth to Adulthood. (doi.org).
Written by the Genomes desk from the primary source linked above and checked against it. Research use only; not medical advice. Corrections: [email protected].
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