Biomaterial Database

Childbirth moderates the genetic and environmental influences on BMI in adult twins. 2009

Irene Rebollo-Mesa, and Juan R Ordoñana

Section of General Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College of London, Strand, London, UK. Irene.rebollo_mesa@kcl.ac.uk

We report a study of the moderating role that the number of childbirths has on the genetic and environmental influences on BMI variation. We used a classical twin design with a sample of 704 adult female twins (334 monozygotic and 370 dizygotic). A gene-environment interaction (G x E) model was applied to estimate the moderating effects of childbearing. Results show that age and number of children exert a significant positive main effect on BMI. Furthermore, we found significant moderating effects of childbearing, with a larger number of children associated with an increased sensitivity to environmental factors.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008875	Middle Aged	An adult aged 45 - 64 years.	Middle Age
D008957	Models, Genetic	Theoretical representations that simulate the behavior or activity of genetic processes or phenomena. They include the use of mathematical equations, computers, and other electronic equipment.	Genetic Models,Genetic Model,Model, Genetic
D001823	Body Composition	The relative amounts of various components in the body, such as percentage of body fat.	Body Compositions,Composition, Body,Compositions, Body
D004777	Environment	The external elements and conditions which surround, influence, and affect the life and development of an organism or population.	Environmental Impact,Environmental Impacts,Impact, Environmental,Impacts, Environmental,Environments
D005260	Female		Females
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000328	Adult	A person having attained full growth or maturity. Adults are of 19 through 44 years of age. For a person between 19 and 24 years of age, YOUNG ADULT is available.	Adults
D000368	Aged	A person 65 years of age or older. For a person older than 79 years, AGED, 80 AND OVER is available.	Elderly
D014427	Twins	Two individuals derived from two FETUSES that were fertilized at or about the same time, developed in the UTERUS simultaneously, and born to the same mother. Twins are either monozygotic (TWINS, MONOZYGOTIC) or dizygotic (TWINS, DIZYGOTIC).	Twin
D014429	Twins, Dizygotic	Two offspring from the same PREGNANCY. They are from two OVA, fertilized at about the same time by two SPERMATOZOA. Such twins are genetically distinct and can be of different sexes.	Twins, Fraternal,Dizygotic Twin,Dizygotic Twins,Fraternal Twin,Fraternal Twins,Twin, Dizygotic,Twin, Fraternal