Sonja Berndt

Pharm.D., Ph.D.

National Cancer Institute

Senior Investigator

PLCO (Learn more about this study)

PLCO-325

Nov 27, 2017

A genome-wide association study of lifecourse weight change

In the United States, approximately 69% of those age ≥20 years are overweight [body mass index (BMI ≥ 25.0) while 36% are obese (BMI ≥30.0). Overweight and obesity increases risk of diabetes, coronary artery disease, stroke, and several cancers as well as psychosocial and economic difficulties. Genetic variants have been recognized as an important factor in weight status (healthy, overweight, obese). Genome-wide association studies have been successful in identifying common loci associated with weight (e.g., BMI and weight circumference), however, these studies have been restricted to evaluating weight status cross-sectionally. To date, studies assessing the relationship between obesity related genes and longitudinal weight change have been unsuccessful. To our knowledge, there are no genome-wide association studies that examined weight change phenotypes longitudinally. Improved understanding of the genetic basis underlying weight change would provide insights into mechanisms of obesity and potential predictive markers for treatment. Therefore, the proposed study will utilize whole-genome data in PLCO to identify genetic variants associated with weight change phenotypes throughout adulthood. Patterns of weight change across adulthood will be identified using retrospectively collected weight information and weight information collected at baseline for each participant.