Gender differences in familial aggregation of adiposity traits in Aggarwal Baniya families

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to investigate the potential for common genetic and environmental influences on adiposity measures in Aggarwal Baniya families with adolescent children. A cross-sectional study was conducted on 309 Aggarwal Baniya families, including 1539 individuals (271 fathers, 307 mothers, 967 children of both sexes) in New Delhi, India. Anthropometric measurements were measured and various obesity indices were calculated. The prevalence of obesity in this community was high (BMI: fathers, 26.1 kg/m2; mothers, 29.4 kg/m2; sons, 16.9-22.4 kg/m2; and daughters, 16.3-24.5 kg/m2). Correlation and Heritability was estimated. Most sibling-sibling correlations were larger than the parent-offspring correlations, and all parent-offspring and sibling-sibling correlations were larger than the corresponding spouse correlation except for weight and waist circumference. For the obesity phenotypes, hip circumference and waist hip ratio (WHR) had the highest heritability of 82%, followed by waist height ratio (WHtR, 52%), body mass index (BMI, 49%), weight (46%), waist circumference (45%), and grand mean thickness (GMT, 35%). There is familial aggregation for obesity, as well as gender differences in familial correlations of obesity in children with daughters being more likely than sons to be affected by parental obesity. 

Keywords

• Heritability,BMI,WHtR,parent-child correlation,adiposity

References

1. Acheson RM, Fowler GB. (1967) On the inheritance of stature and blood pressure. J Chronic Dis 20:731-745.