Bivariate linkage confirms genetic contribution to fetal origins of childhood growth and cardiovascular disease risk in Hispanic children

Abstract

Birth weight has been shown to be associated with obesity and metabolic diseases in adulthood, however, the genetic contribution is still controversial. The objective of this analysis is to explore the genetic contribution to the relationship between birth weight and later risk for obesity and metabolic diseases in Hispanic children. Subjects were 1,030 Hispanic children in the Viva La Familia Study. Phenotypes included body size, body composition, blood pressure, fasting glucose, insulin, lipids, and liver enzymes. Birth weights were obtained from Texas birth certificates. Quantitative genetic analyses were conducted using SOLAR software. Birth weight was highly heritable, as were all other phenotypes. Phenotypically, birth weight was positively correlated to childhood body size parameters. Decomposition of these phenotypic correlations into genetic and environmental components revealed significant genetic correlations, ranging from 0.30 to 0.59. Negative genetic correlations were seen between birth weight and lipids. The genome scan of birth weight mapped to a region near marker D10S537 (LOD = 2.6). The bivariate genome-wide scan of birth weight and childhood weight or total cholesterol, improved the LOD score to 3.09 and 2.85, respectively. Chromosome 10q22 harbors genes influencing both birth weight and childhood body size and cardiovascular disease risk in Hispanic children.

Impact of Infant Feeding Practices on Childhood Obesity

“…Birth weight was higher in overweight than nonoverweight children (3.56 6 0.03 vs. 3.42 6 0.03 kg), controlling for gestational age (28). Birth weights exceeded 4.0 kg in 17.7% of the children.…”

“…Birth weights exceeded 4.0 kg in 17.7% of the children. Birth weight, controlled for gestational age, was a significant predictor of current BMI Z-score (adj r 2 ¼ 0.14; P ¼ 0.004), height Z-score (adj r 2 ¼ 0.44; P ¼ 0.001), but not percentage fat mass (FM) (28). Risk of childhood obesity increased significantly with birth weight (P ¼ 0.001).…”

“…Childhood obesity was shown to be heritable in this cohort of children (28). The heritabilities of body weight, BMI, and FM were 0.36, 0.39, and 0.33, respectively (27).…”

Hypertension and ethnicity

“…In the Viva La Familia Study, significant genetic links were identified between CV risk factors, which included BP and fasting plasma glucose, among Hispanic children [34,35]. Kammerer et al [36,37] conducted an analysis of 793 participants and found a chromosomal polymorphism (chromosome 17) linking angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) activity and HTN in Hispanic patients.…”

Why are some people left-handed? An evolutionary perspective

“…Cai et al (2007) for birth weight or Moller & Thornhill (1997) for developmental instability), indicating a genetic contribution. Their link with left-handedness therefore represents a negative selection pressure.…”