Longitudinal weight differences, gene expression and blood biomarkers in BMI-discordant identical twins.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Body mass index (BMI) discordant monozygotic (MZ) twins allow an examination of the causes and consequences of adiposity in a genetically controlled design. Few studies have examined longitudinal BMI discordance in MZ pairs.

Objectives

The aim of this work was to study the development over time of BMI discordance in adolescent and adult MZ twin pairs and to examine lifestyle, metabolic, inflammatory and gene expression differences associated with concurrent and long-term BMI discordance in MZ pairs.

Subjects/methods

BMI data from 2775 MZ twin pairs, collected in eight longitudinal surveys and a biobank project between 1991 and 2011, were analyzed to characterize longitudinal discordance. Lifestyle characteristics were compared within discordant pairs (ΔBMI⩾

SUBMITTER: van Dongen J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4471109 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature