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An age-dependent diet-modified effect of the PPARγ Pro12Ala polymorphism in children

George V Dedoussis1, Yannis Manios, Georgia Kourlaba

  • 1Department of Dietetics-Nutrition, Harokopio University, 17671 Athens, Greece. dedousi@hua.gr

Metabolism: Clinical and Experimental
|June 29, 2010
PubMed

Insights

The Pro12Ala gene variant influences childhood adiposity differently in boys and girls, with diet interactions playing a role. This genetic variation

Area of Science:

  • Genetics
  • Pediatrics
  • Nutrition Science

Background:

  • The peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) gene's Pro12Ala variant is linked to adult adiposity and diet interactions.
  • Understanding the role of this variant in childhood obesity and its interaction with diet is crucial for early intervention.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the age-related association between the PPARγ Pro12Ala variant (rs1801282) and diet in relation to obesity-related traits in children.
  • To explore sex-specific effects of the Pro12Ala variant on adiposity measures in different age groups.

Main Methods:

  • Genotyping of the Pro12Ala variant in 2102 young children (1-6 years) and 794 periadolescent children (10-12 years) of Greek origin.
  • Assessment of obesity-related traits including body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, and skinfold thickness.
  • Analysis of dietary intake, focusing on saturated fatty acids (SFA) and total fat (TF), with gene-diet interaction analyses.

Main Results:

  • No overall differences in obesity traits were observed between Ala allele carriers and Pro/Pro homozygotes in either cohort.
  • Sex-specific effects were noted: periadolescent boys with the Ala allele had lower skinfold measures, while young girls with the Ala allele had higher triceps skinfold thickness.
  • Nominal gene-diet interactions were found in periadolescents for SFA intake and skinfolds (P = .05). In Pro/Pro homozygous young girls, SFA and TF intake positively correlated with higher BMI, waist circumference, and skinfold thickness.

Conclusions:

  • Childhood adiposity is influenced by the PPARγ Pro12Ala polymorphism in a sex-specific and age-dependent manner.
  • Dietary fat intake, particularly SFA and TF, modifies the effect of the Pro12Ala variant on obesity-related measures in a manner dependent on age and sex.
  • These findings highlight the complex interplay between genetics, diet, and obesity development in children.

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