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Genetic Regulation of Growth in Height and Weight from 3 to 12 Years of Age: A Longitudinal Study of Dutch Twin Children

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 February 2012

Karri Silventoinen ,
Meike Bartels ,
Daniëlle Posthuma ,
G. Frederiek Estourgie-van Burk ,
Gonneke Willemsen ,
Toos C. E. M. van Beijsterveldt  and
Dorret I. Boomsma
Karri Silventoinen*
Affiliation:
Department of Public Health, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland. [email protected]
Meike Bartels
Affiliation:
Department of Biological Psychology, Free University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
Daniëlle Posthuma
Affiliation:
Department of Biological Psychology, Free University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
G. Frederiek Estourgie-van Burk
Affiliation:
Department of Biological Psychology, Free University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Department of Pediatric Endocrinology, VU University Medical Centre, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
Gonneke Willemsen
Affiliation:
Department of Biological Psychology, Free University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
Toos C. E. M. van Beijsterveldt
Affiliation:
Department of Biological Psychology, Free University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
Dorret I. Boomsma
Affiliation:
Department of Biological Psychology, Free University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
*
*Address for correspondence: Karri Silventoinen, Department of Public Health, University of Helsinki, PO Box 41, Mannerheimintie 172, FIN-00014 University of Helsinki, Finland.

Abstract

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Human growth is a complex and poorly understood process. We studied the effect of genetic and environmental factors on height and body mass index (BMI, kg/m2) based on maternal reports at 3, 4, 5, 7, 10 and 12 years of age in a large longitudinal cohort of Dutch twins (7755 complete twin pairs at age 3). Several multivariate variance component models for twins were fitted to the data using the Mx statistical package. The first-born twin was taller until age 10 and heavier until age 12 than the second-born co-twin. Heritability estimates were high for height (a2 = .58–.91) and BMI (a2 = .31–.82), but common and unshared environmental factors were also important. The phenotypic correlations across the ages for height and BMI were mainly explained by correlated additive genetic factors (ra = .77–.96 for height and .43–.92 for BMI), but common (rc = .40–.84 and .09–.78, respectively) and specific environmental correlations (re = .50–.81 and .42–.80, respectively) were also significant. Additive genetic factors decreased with increasing age difference for both height and BMI. However, the full Cholesky model, which does not make any assumptions regarding the underlying genetic structure, had the best fit. High genetic correlations across the ages, especially for height, may help further molecular genetic studies of human growth. Environmental factors affecting height and BMI during growth period are also important, and further studies are needed to identify these factors and test whether they interact with genetic factors.

Type
Articles
Information
Twin Research and Human Genetics , Volume 10 , Issue 2 , 01 April 2007 , pp. 354 - 363
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2007