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Genetics of Obesity

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Metabolic Syndrome

Abstract

All definitions of the metabolic syndrome include some form of obesity as one of the possible features. Body mass index (BMI) has a known genetic component, currently estimated to account for about 70 % of the population variance in weight status for non-syndromal obesity. Much research effort has been expended in trying to identify the specific genes which contain polymorphisms that account for individual differences in BMI. The largest genome-wide association study (GWAS) to date confirmed and identified almost 100 genes where variation contributes to BMI in individuals of European ancestry. This GWAS validated numerous variants which give insights into the pathophysiology of obesity centering on altered glucose and lipid metabolism and differences in adipocyte formation. The most novel contribution was identifying numerous genes expressed in the brain, which likely have behavioral consequences. This fits well with contemporary work showing that eating behaviors are a key, heritable contribution to common obesity. Future work will expand this putative gene list and continue to give insights into the etiology of common obesity which may one day contribute to individualized risk profiles and treatment options.

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Acknowledgments

Dr. Alexis C. Wood is funded by the American Heart Association (grant no: 14BGIA18740011) and the USDA/ARS Children’s Nutrition Research Center at Baylor College of Medicine. This work is a publication of the USDA/ARS Children’s Nutrition Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, and funded in part with federal funds from the USDA/ARS under Cooperative Agreement No. 58-6250-0-008. The contents of this publication do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the USDA, nor does mention of trade names, commercial products, or organizations imply endorsement from the US government.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. USDA/ARS Children’s Nutrition Research Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, 77030, USA

    Alexis C. Frazier-Wood

  2. Department of Epidemiology, Human Genetics and Environmental Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, USA

    Zhe Wang

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  1. Alexis C. Frazier-Wood
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  2. Zhe Wang
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Correspondence to Alexis C. Frazier-Wood .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA

    Rexford S. Ahima

  2. Institute for Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA

    Rexford S. Ahima

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Frazier-Wood, A.C., Wang, Z. (2016). Genetics of Obesity. In: Ahima, R.S. (eds) Metabolic Syndrome. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-11251-0_10

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-11251-0_10

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