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Obesity, physical activity, and gene-environment interactions: a natural experiment framework
Lei Liu1,2,3,4, Xuxiu Zhuang1,3, Haonan Zhou1,3
1Health Sciences Institute, China Medical University, Shenyang, 110122, Liaoning Province, PR China.
Journal of Health, Population, and Nutrition
|April 10, 2026
Summary
Physical activity (PA) significantly mitigates genetic predisposition to obesity in Chinese youth. Higher PA levels lessened the impact of genetic risk scores on BMI trajectories over four years.
Area of Science:
- Obesity research
- Genetics and public health
- Behavioral science
Background:
- Obesity arises from complex gene-environment interactions.
- Physical activity (PA) is a key intervention for obesity.
- This study examined PA's role in modifying genetic obesity risk in Chinese youth.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how physical activity (PA) influences the association between genetic predisposition and obesity.
- To analyze gene-PA interactions on body mass index (BMI) trajectories in Chinese youth.
Main Methods:
- A 4-year longitudinal natural experiment with 591 Chinese youth.
- Categorized participants into high-PA (HPA) and low-PA (LPA) groups based on curriculum.
- Calculated weighted genetic risk scores (WGRSs) and analyzed BMI changes using generalized linear mixed models.
Main Results:
- Weighted genetic risk scores (WGRSs) predicted baseline obesity (0.21 kg/m² higher BMI per unit increase).
- BMI increases were smaller in the HPA group compared to the LPA group over the study period.
- Significant WGRS-PA interactions showed that higher genetic risk individuals benefited more from sustained PA in reducing BMI.
Conclusions:
- A significant interaction between PA levels and WGRS was identified in modifying BMI trajectories.
- Genetic susceptibility plays a crucial role in determining the effectiveness of long-term PA in managing BMI progression among Chinese youth.
Keywords:
Children and adolescentsGenetic susceptibilityGene–environment interactionOverweight and obesityPhysical activityMore Related Videos
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