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Assessment of Child Anthropometry in a Large Epidemiologic Study
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Assessment of Child Anthropometry in a Large Epidemiologic Study

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African genetic admixture is associated with body composition and fat distribution in a cross-sectional study of

M Cardel1, P B Higgins, A L Willig

  • 1Department of Nutrition Sciences and the Nutrition and Obesity Research Center, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA.

International Journal of Obesity (2005)
|September 30, 2010
PubMed

Insights

Ancestry influences children's body composition. Greater African ancestry is linked to less fat and higher bone density, while European ancestry is associated with lower lean mass in children.

Area of Science:

  • Genetics
  • Pediatrics
  • Anthropology

Background:

  • Racial/ethnic disparities in body composition among children are known.
  • Underlying genetic and environmental factors require further investigation.
  • This study examines the role of ancestral genetic background in body composition and fat distribution.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the influence of African and European ancestral genetic background on body composition.
  • To assess the impact of genetic admixture on fat distribution in children.
  • To understand genetic contributions to racial/ethnic differences in pediatric body composition.

Main Methods:

  • Quantified African (AFADM) and European (EUADM) admixture using 142 ancestry informative DNA markers.
  • Assessed body composition via dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry.
  • Measured abdominal fat distribution using computed tomography scans.

Main Results:

  • Higher AFADM correlated with reduced fat mass, abdominal adipose tissue (total, intra-, and subcutaneous), and increased bone mineral content (BMC).
  • Greater EUADM was associated with lower lean mass (LM).
  • These associations persisted after adjusting for socioeconomic status, sex, age, height, race/ethnicity, and pubertal status.

Conclusions:

  • Ancestral genetic background significantly contributes to racial/ethnic variations in body composition.
  • Genetic factors play a role in total body fat accumulation, abdominal adiposity, LM, and BMC.
  • Findings suggest genetic admixture is a key determinant of body composition differences in children.
Abstract

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