Abstract
Background
The role of genetic risk scores associated with adult body mass index (BMI) on BMI levels across the life course is unclear. We examined if a 97 single nucleotide polymorphism weighted genetic risk score (wGRS97) associated with age-related progression in BMI at different life stages and distinct developmental trajectories of BMI across the early life course.
Methods
2188 Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study participants born pre-1980 who had genotype data and objective measurements of height and weight collected up to 8 times from age 6 to 49 years. Associations were examined using Individual Growth Curve analysis, Latent Class Growth Mixture Modelling, and Poisson modified regression.
Results
The wGRS97 associated with BMI from age 6 years with peak effect sizes observed at age 30 years (females: 1.14 kg/m2; males: 1.09 kg/m2 higher BMI per standard deviation increase in wGRS97). The association between wGRS97 and BMI became stronger with age in childhood but slowed in adolescence, especially in females, and weakened at age 35–40 years. A higher wGRS97 associated with an increased BMI velocity in childhood and adulthood, but not with BMI change in adulthood. Compared with belonging to a ‘normal stable’ life-course trajectory group (normal BMI from childhood to adulthood), a one standard deviation higher wGRS97 associated with a 13–127% increased risk of belonging to a less favourable life-course BMI trajectory group.
Conclusions
Individuals with genetic susceptibility to higher adult BMI have higher levels and accelerated rates of increase in BMI in childhood/adolescence, and are at increased risk of having a less favourable life-course BMI trajectory.
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Acknowledgements
The YFS has been financially supported by the Academy of Finland: grants 286284, 134309 (Eye), 126925, 121584, 124282, 129378 (Salve), 117787 (Gendi), and 41071 (Skidi); the Social Insurance Institution of Finland; Competitive State Research Financing of the Expert Responsibility area of Kuopio, Tampere and Turku University Hospitals (grant X51001); Juho Vainio Foundation; Paavo Nurmi Foundation; Finnish Foundation for Cardiovascular Research; Finnish Cultural Foundation; The Sigrid Juselius Foundation; Tampere Tuberculosis Foundation; Emil Aaltonen Foundation; Yrjö Jahnsson Foundation; Signe and Ane Gyllenberg Foundation; Diabetes Research Foundation of Finnish Diabetes Association; and EU Horizon 2020 (grant 755320 for TAXINOMISIS); and European Research Council (grant 742927 for MULTIEPIGEN project); Tampere University Hospital Supporting Foundation. CGM is supported by National Heart Foundation of Australia Future Leader Fellowship (100849).
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Buscot, MJ., Wu, F., Juonala, M. et al. Longitudinal association of a body mass index (BMI) genetic risk score with growth and BMI changes across the life course: The Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study. Int J Obes 44, 1733–1742 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41366-020-0611-x
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41366-020-0611-x