ArticleInternational journal of obesity (2005)2023
Genetic regulation of body size and morphology in children: a twin study of 22 anthropometric traits.
Article in International journal of obesity (2005), 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.
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2 citing papers in PubMed, 4 citations in OpenAlex.
- Genetic regulation of body size and morphology from adolescence to early adulthood.Pediatric research · 2026Article
- Associations of body size and morphology with cardiometabolic health in children: the contribution of genetic factors.Obesity (Silver Spring, Md.) · 2025Article
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Authors and funding
11 authors at 7 institutions in 5 countries.
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Abstract
backgroundAnthropometric measures show high heritability, and genetic correlations have been found between obesity-related traits. However, we lack a comprehensive analysis of the genetic background of human body morphology using detailed anthropometric measures.
methodsHeight, weight, 7 skinfold thicknesses, 7 body circumferences and 4 body diameters (skeletal breaths) were measured in 214 pairs of twin children aged 3-18 years (87 monozygotic pairs) in the Autonomous Region of Madeira, Portugal. Factor analysis (Varimax rotation) was used to analyze the underlying structure of body physique. Genetic twin modeling was used to estimate genetic and environmental contributions to the variation and co-variation of the anthropometric traits.
resultsTogether, two factors explained 80% of the variation of all 22 anthropometric traits in boys and 73% in girls. Obesity measures (body mass index, skinfold thickness measures, as well as waist and hip circumferences) and limb circumferences loaded most strongly on the first factor, whereas height and body diameters loaded especially on the second factor. These factors as well as all anthropometric measures showed high heritability (80% or more for most of the traits), whereas the rest of the variation was explained by environmental factors not shared by co-twins. Obesity measures showed high genetic correlations (0.75-0.98). Height showed the highest genetic correlations with body diameter measures (0.58-0.76). Correlations between environmental factors not shared by co-twins were weaker than the genetic correlations but still substantial. The correlation patterns were roughly similar in boys and girls.
conclusionsOur results show high genetic correlations underlying the human body physique, suggesting that there are sets of genes widely affecting anthropometric traits. Better knowledge of these genetic variants can help to understand the development of obesity and other features of the human physique.
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