A common variant in the FTO gene is associated with body mass index and predisposes to childhood and adult obesity.

Journal article

Obesity is a serious international health problem that increases the risk of several common diseases. The genetic factors predisposing to obesity are poorly understood. A genome-wide search for type 2 diabetes-susceptibility genes identified a common variant in the FTO (fat mass and obesity associated) gene that predisposes to diabetes through an effect on body mass index (BMI). An additive association of the variant with BMI was replicated in 13 cohorts with 38,759 participants. The 16% of a...

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Authors: Frayling, T; Timpson, N; Weedon, M; Zeggini, E; Freathy, R

• Publication status: Published
• Journal: Science (New York, N.Y.)
• Volume: 316
• Issue: 5826
• Pages: 889-894
• Publication date: 2007-05-01
• DOI: 10.1126/science.1141634
• EISSN: 1095-9203
• ISSN: 0036-8075
• Language: English
• Keywords: Female; Adult; Genetic Predisposition to Disease; Adipose Tissue; Body Mass Index; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; Birth Weight; Alleles; Great Britain; Adolescent; Infant, Newborn; Aged; Overweight; Case-Control Studies; Homozygote; Middle Aged; Obesity; Cohort Studies; Child; Humans; Male; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2