ArticleBiology of sex differences2017
Does the sex of one's co-twin affect height and BMI in adulthood? A study of dizygotic adult twins from 31 cohorts.
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Article in Biology of sex differences, 2017. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 7 papers.
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7citing papers in PubMed
0.9field-weighted citation impact, top 27% of its field
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Who cites it
7 citing papers in PubMed, 10 citations in OpenAlex.
- The CODATwins Project: The Current Status and Recent Findings of COllaborative Project of Development of Anthropometrical Measures in Twins.Twin research and human genetics : the official journal of the International Society for Twin Studies · 2019Trial
- Sometimes Less Is More: On Sample Size in Medical Research.Journal of evaluation in clinical practice · 2026Review
- Some newer & simpler biostatistical approaches for more credible clinical research.The Indian journal of medical research · 2025Article
- Testing the twin testosterone transfer hypothesis-intergenerational analysis of 317 dizygotic twins born in Aberdeen, Scotland.Human reproduction (Oxford, England) · 2020Article
- Opposite-sex and same-sex twin studies of physiological, cognitive and behavioral traits.Neuroscience and biobehavioral reviews · 2020Review
- Basic Human Body Dimensions Relate to Alcohol Dependence and Predict Hospital Readmission.Journal of clinical medicine · 2019Article
- Maternal polycystic ovarian syndrome and offspring growth: the Upstate KIDS Study.Journal of epidemiology and community health · 2018Article
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Authors and funding
76 authors at 20 institutions in 18 countries.
Leonie H BoglInstitute for Molecular Medicine FIMM, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 20, FI-00014 Helsinki, Finland.
Aline JelenkovicDepartment of Social Research, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
Eero VuoksimaaInstitute for Molecular Medicine FIMM, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 20, FI-00014 Helsinki, Finland.
Linda AhrenfeldtDepartment of Public Health, Epidemiology, Biostatistics & Biodemography, The Danish Twin Registry, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark.
Kirsi H PietiläinenObesity Research Unit, Research Programs Unit, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
Maria A StaziIstituto Superiore di Sanità-National Center for Epidemiology, Surveillance and Health Promotion, Rome, Italy.
Corrado FagnaniIstituto Superiore di Sanità-National Center for Epidemiology, Surveillance and Health Promotion, Rome, Italy.
Cristina D'IppolitoIstituto Superiore di Sanità-National Center for Epidemiology, Surveillance and Health Promotion, Rome, Italy.
Yoon-Mi HurDepartment of Education, Mokpo National University, Jeonnam, South Korea.
Hoe-Uk JeongDepartment of Education, Mokpo National University, Jeonnam, South Korea.
Judy L SilbergDepartment of Human and Molecular Genetics, Virginia Institute for Psychiatric and Behavioral Genetics, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA USA.
Lindon J EavesDepartment of Human and Molecular Genetics, Virginia Institute for Psychiatric and Behavioral Genetics, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA USA.
Hermine H MaesDepartment of Human and Molecular Genetics, Psychiatry & Massey Cancer Center, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA USA.
Gombojav BayasgalanHealthy Twin Association of Mongolia, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.
Danshiitsoodol NarandalaiGraduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan.
Tessa L CutlerThe Australian Twin Registry, Centre for Epidemiology and Biostatistics, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC Australia.
Christian KandlerDepartment of Psychology, Medical School Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
Kerry L JangDepartment of Psychiatry, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC Canada.
Kaare ChristensenDepartment of Public Health, Epidemiology, Biostatistics & Biodemography, The Danish Twin Registry, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark.
Axel SkyttheDepartment of Public Health, Epidemiology, Biostatistics & Biodemography, The Danish Twin Registry, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark.
Kirsten O KyvikDepartment of Clinical Research, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark.
Wendy CozenDepartment of Preventive Medicine, Keck School of Medicine of USC, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA USA.
Amie E HwangDepartment of Preventive Medicine, Keck School of Medicine of USC, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA USA.
Thomas M MackDepartment of Preventive Medicine, Keck School of Medicine of USC, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA USA.
Catherine A DeromCentre of Human Genetics, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
Robert F VlietinckCentre of Human Genetics, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
Tracy L NelsonDepartment of Health and Exercise Sciences and Colorado School of Public Health, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, USA.
Keith E WhitfieldPsychology and Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, NC USA.
Robin P CorleyInstitute for Behavioral Genetics, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO USA.
Brooke M HuibregtseInstitute for Behavioral Genetics, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO USA.
Tom A McAdamsInstitute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, MRC Social, Genetic & Developmental Psychiatry Centre, King's College London, London, UK.
Thalia C EleyInstitute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, MRC Social, Genetic & Developmental Psychiatry Centre, King's College London, London, UK.
Alice M GregoryDepartment of Psychology, Goldsmiths, University of London, London, UK.
Robert F KruegerDepartment of Psychology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN USA.
Matt McGueDepartment of Psychology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN USA.
Shandell PahlenDepartment of Psychology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN USA.
Gonneke WillemsenDepartment of Biological Psychology, VU University Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands.
Meike BartelsDepartment of Biological Psychology, VU University Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands.
Toos C E M van BeijsterveldtDepartment of Biological Psychology, VU University Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands.
Zengchang PangDepartment of Noncommunicable Diseases Prevention, Qingdao Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Qingdao, China.
Qihua TanInstitute of Public Health, Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Biodemography, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark.
Dongfeng ZhangDepartment of Public Health, Qingdao University Medical College, Qingdao, China.
Nicholas G MartinGenetic Epidemiology Department, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, Australia.
Sarah E MedlandGenetic Epidemiology Department, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, Australia.
Grant W MontgomeryMolecular Epidemiology Department, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, Australia.
Jacob V B HjelmborgDepartment of Public Health, Epidemiology, Biostatistics & Biodemography, The Danish Twin Registry, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark.
Esther RebatoDepartment of Genetics, Physical Anthropology and Animal Physiology, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, Leioa, Spain.
Gary E SwanDepartment of Medicine, Stanford Prevention Research Center, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA USA.
Ruth KrasnowCenter for Health Sciences, SRI International, Menlo Park, CA USA.
Andreas BusjahnHealthTwiSt GmbH, Berlin, Germany.
Paul LichtensteinDepartment of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
Sevgi Y ÖncelDepartment of Statistics, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Kırıkkale University, Kırıkkale, Turkey.
Fazil AlievPsychology and African American Studies, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, USA.
Laura A BakerDepartment of Psychology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA USA.
Catherine TuvbladDepartment of Psychology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA USA.
Sisira H SiribaddanaInstitute of Research & Development, Battaramulla, Sri Lanka.
Matthew HotopfInstitute of Psychiatry Psychology and Neuroscience, NIHR Mental Health Biomedical Research Centre, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust and King's College London, London, UK.
Athula SumathipalaInstitute of Research & Development, Battaramulla, Sri Lanka.
Fruhling RijsdijkInstitute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, MRC Social, Genetic & Developmental Psychiatry Centre, King's College London, London, UK.
Patrik K E MagnussonDepartment of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
Nancy L PedersenDepartment of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
Anna K Dahl AslanDepartment of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
Juan R OrdoñanaDepartment of Human Anatomy and Psychobiology, University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain.
Juan F Sánchez-RomeraDepartment of Developmental and Educational Psychology, University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain.
Lucia Colodro-CondeDepartment of Human Anatomy and Psychobiology, University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain.
Glen E DuncanWashington State Twin Registry, Washington State University-Health Sciences Spokane, Spokane, WA USA.
Dedra BuchwaldWashington State Twin Registry, Washington State University-Health Sciences Spokane, Spokane, WA USA.
Adam D TarnokiDepartment of Radiology, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary.
David L TarnokiDepartment of Radiology, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary.
Yoshie YokoyamaDepartment of Public Health Nursing, Osaka City University, Osaka, Japan.
John L HopperThe Australian Twin Registry, Centre for Epidemiology and Biostatistics, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC Australia.
Ruth J F LoosThe Charles Bronfman Institute for Personalized Medicine, The Mindich Child Health and Development Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY USA.
Dorret I BoomsmaDepartment of Biological Psychology, VU University Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands.
Thorkild I A SørensenNovo Nordisk Foundation Centre for Basic Metabolic Research (Section on Metabolic Genetics), and Department of Public Health, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Karri SilventoinenDepartment of Social Research, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
Jaakko KaprioInstitute for Molecular Medicine FIMM, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 20, FI-00014 Helsinki, Finland.
University of Helsinki · FIUniversity of Southern Denmark · DKUniversity of Southern California · USKarolinska Institutet · SEKing's College London · GBQIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute · AUVrije Universiteit Amsterdam · NLIstituto Superiore di Sanità · ITUniversity of Minnesota · USVirginia Commonwealth University · USInstitute for Research and Development · LKInstituto Murciano de Investigación Biosanitaria · ESMokpo National University · KRSemmelweis University · HUUniversity of Colorado Boulder · USWashington State University Spokane · USChild Health and Development Institute · USColorado School of Public Health · USDuke University · USGhent University Hospital · BE
Funding
Translational Research CoreP30DK020541 · NIDDK · ALBERT EINSTEIN COLLEGE OF MEDICINE, INC · PI STREAMSON C CHUA · 2015 to 2026
$27.7MTwin StudyP60DA011015 · NIDA · UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO DENVER · PI HEWITT, JOHN K. · 1997 to 2013
$22.5MTRAJECTORIES OF MORTALITY IN CAENORHABDITIS ELEGANSP01AG008761 · NIA · UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA TWIN CITIES · PI VAUPEL, JAMES W. · 1990 to 2008
$17.5MRISK FACTORS FOR ANTISOCIAL BEHAVIORR01MH058354 · NIMH · UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA · PI BAKER, LAURA A · 2000 to 2013
$8.5MBuilding a Unique National Community Based Twin RepositoryRC2HL103416 · NHLBI · UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON · PI BUCHWALD, DEDRA S · 2009 to 2010
$7.7MResearch Training-Genetics of Substance AbuseT32DA017637 · NIDA · UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO AT BOULDER · PI STITZEL, JERRY A · 2004 to 2023
$5.3MDNA methylation differences between identical twinsR01ES015150 · NIEHS · UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA · PI MACK, THOMAS MCCULLOCH · 2006 to 2009
$3.1MDETERMINANTS OF BEHAVIORAL DEVELOPMENT IN CHILDRENR01HD010333 · NICHD · UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO AT BOULDER · PI WADSWORTH, SALLY J · 1985 to 2010
$3.0MADOLESCENT ALCOHOL ABUSE: A TWIN-STUDY PERSPECTIVER37AA012502 · NIAAA · TRUSTEES OF INDIANA UNIVERSITY · PI ROSE, RICHARD JOSEPH · 2000 to 2009
$2.9MAdolescent Alcohol Abuse: A Twin-Study PerspectiveR01AA012502 · NIAAA · TRUSTEES OF INDIANA UNIVERSITY · PI ROSE, RICHARD JOSEPH · 2013 to 2017
$1.2MUSE &ABUSE OF ALCOHOL--A BEHAVIOR-GENETICS PERSPECTIVEK05AA000145 · NIAAA · INDIANA UNIVERSITY BLOOMINGTON · PI ROSE, RICHARD JOSEPH · 1992 to 1996
–BEHAVIORAL PRECURSORS OF ALCOHOLISM--TWIN FAMILY STUDIESR01AA009203 · NIAAA · INDIANA UNIVERSITY BLOOMINGTON · PI ROSE, RICHARD JOSEPH · 1994 to 1998
–Medical Research Council G120/635Medical Research Council G81/343NHLBI NIH HHS RC2 HL103416NIAAA NIH HHS K05 AA000145NIAAA NIH HHS R01 AA009203NIAAA NIH HHS R01 AA012502NIAAA NIH HHS R37 AA012502NIA NIH HHS P01 AG008761NICHD NIH HHS R01 HD010333NIDA NIH HHS P60 DA011015NIDA NIH HHS T32 DA017637NIDDK NIH HHS P30 DK020541NIEHS NIH HHS R01 ES015150NIMH NIH HHS R01 MH058354
Abstract
backgroundThe comparison of traits in twins from opposite-sex (OS) and same-sex (SS) dizygotic twin pairs is considered a proxy measure of prenatal hormone exposure. To examine possible prenatal hormonal influences on anthropometric traits, we compared mean height, body mass index (BMI), and the prevalence of being overweight or obese between men and women from OS and SS dizygotic twin pairs.
methodsThe data were derived from the COllaborative project of Development of Anthropometrical measures in Twins (CODATwins) database, and included 68,494 SS and 53,808 OS dizygotic twin individuals above the age of 20 years from 31 twin cohorts representing 19 countries. Zygosity was determined by questionnaires or DNA genotyping depending on the study. Multiple regression and logistic regression models adjusted for cohort, age, and birth year with the twin type as a predictor were carried out to compare height and BMI in twins from OS pairs with those from SS pairs and to calculate the adjusted odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals for being overweight or obese.
resultsOS females were, on average, 0.31 cm (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.20, 0.41) taller than SS females. OS males were also, on average, taller than SS males, but this difference was only 0.14 cm (95% CI 0.02, 0.27). Mean BMI and the prevalence of overweight or obesity did not differ between males and females from SS and OS twin pairs. The statistically significant differences between OS and SS twins for height were small and appeared to reflect our large sample size rather than meaningful differences of public health relevance.
conclusionsWe found no evidence to support the hypothesis that prenatal hormonal exposure or postnatal socialization (i.e., having grown up with a twin of the opposite sex) has a major impact on height and BMI in adulthood.
Indexed as
Body HeightBody Mass IndexTwins, DizygoticAdultAgedAged, 80 and overCohort StudiesFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedYoung AdultBody mass indexCODATwinsHeightOpposite-sex twinsPrenatal hormone exposure
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