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Chronological Changes in Genetic Variance and Heritability of Anthropometric Characteristics Among Chinese Twin Infants

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 August 2014

C.J. Chen*
Affiliation:
Institute of Public Health, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China
M.W. Yu
Affiliation:
Institute of Public Health, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China
C.J. Wang
Affiliation:
Institute of Public Health, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China
S.L. Tong
Affiliation:
Institute of Public Health, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China
M. Tien
Affiliation:
Institute of Public Health, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China
T.Y. Lee
Affiliation:
National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China
H.C. Lue
Affiliation:
National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China
F.Y. Huang
Affiliation:
Mckay Memorial Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China
C.C. Lan
Affiliation:
Mckay Memorial Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China
K.H. Yang
Affiliation:
Taipei Municipal Maternal and Child Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China
H.C. Wang
Affiliation:
Taipei Municipal Maternal and Child Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China
H.Y. Shih
Affiliation:
National Nursing School Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China
C.Y. Liu
Affiliation:
National Nursing School Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China
J.S. Chen
Affiliation:
National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China
*
Institute of Public Health, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, 1 Jen-Ai Rd. Sec. 1, Taipei 10018, Taiwan, Republic of China

Abstract

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In order to examine the chronologic changes in genetic variance and heritability of anthropometric characteristics of Chinese infants in Taiwan, a total of 521 pairs of same-sexed twin neonates given birth in four major general teaching hospitals in Taipei City were studied. Based on the placental pattern and 12 red blood cell antigens, 428 MZ and 93 DZ twin pairs were identified and followed up to the age of one year. There was no significant genetic variance for all anthropometric characteristics adjusted for sex and gestational week before the age of six months. After adjusting for sex and gestational week, a significant genetic variance was observed at the age of six months, with heritability values of 0.51 (weight), 0.63 (head circumference), 0.77 (chest circumference), and 0.53 (arm circumference), as well as at one year, although with considerably lower heritability values. This implies that growth is dynamically determined by both genetic and environmental factors during infancy.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © The International Society for Twin Studies 19990

References

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