Associations Between Obesity Indicators and Blood Pressure in Chinese Adult Twins

Obesity is associated with blood pressure (BP), but the associations between different obesity indicators and BP have not reached agreement. Besides, both obesity and BP are influenced by genetic and environmental factors. Whether they share the same genetic or environmental etiology has not been fully understood. We therefore analyzed the relationship between different obesity indicators and BP components as well as the genetic and environmental contributions to these relationships in a Chinese adult twin sample. Twins aged 18–79 years (n = 941) were included in this study. Body mass index (BMI) was used as the index of general obesity, whereas waist circumference (WC), waist-to-height ratio (WHtR), and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) were used as the indicators of central obesity. BP components included systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP). Linear regression models and bivariate structural equation models were used to examine the relation of various obesity indicators with BP components, and genetic or environmental influences on these associations, respectively. A strong association of BP components with BMI—and a somewhat weaker association with WC, WHtR, and WHR—was found in both sexes, independent of familial factors. Of these phenotypic correlations between obesity indicators and BP components, 60–76% were attributed to genetic factors, whereas 24–40% were attributed to unique environmental factors. General obesity was most strongly associated with high BP in Chinese adult twins. There were common genetic backgrounds for obesity and BP, and unique environmental factors also played a role.

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Heritability of Type 2 Diabetes in the Washington State Twin Registry

Twin Research and Human Genetics ◽

10.1017/thg.2019.11 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 22 (2) ◽

pp. 95-98 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Ally R. Avery ◽

Glen E. Duncan

Keyword(s):

Type 2 Diabetes ◽

Environmental Factors ◽

Structural Equation ◽

Genetic Factors ◽

Washington State ◽

Equation Modeling ◽

Twin Registry ◽

Genetic And Environmental Factors ◽

Adult Twins

AbstractApproximately 12% of U.S. adults have type 2 diabetes (T2D). Diagnosed T2D is caused by a combination of genetic and environmental factors including age and lifestyle. In adults 45 years and older, the Discordant Twin (DISCOTWIN) consortium of twin registries from Europe and Australia showed a moderate-to-high contribution of genetic factors of T2D with a pooled heritability of 72%. The purpose of this study was to investigate the contributions of genetic and environmental factors of T2D in twins 45 years and older in a U.S. twin cohort (Washington State Twin Registry, WSTR) and compare the estimates to the DISCOTWIN consortium. We also compared these estimates with twins under the age of 45. Data were obtained from 2692 monozygotic (MZ) and same-sex dizygotic (DZ) twin pairs over 45 and 4217 twin pairs under 45 who responded to the question ‘Has a doctor ever diagnosed you with (type 2) diabetes?’ Twin similarity was analyzed using both tetrachoric correlations and structural equation modeling. Overall, 9.4% of MZ and 14.7% of DZ twins over the age of 45 were discordant for T2D in the WSTR, compared to 5.1% of MZ and 8% of DZ twins in the DISCOTWIN consortium. Unlike the DISCOTWIN consortium in which heritability was 72%, heritability was only 52% in the WSTR. In twins under the age of 45, heritability did not contribute to the variance in T2D. In a U.S. sample of adult twins, environmental factors appear to be increasingly important in the development of T2D.

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Causes of Variation in Food Preference in the Netherlands

Twin Research and Human Genetics ◽

10.1017/thg.2020.66 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 23 (4) ◽

pp. 195-203

Author(s):

Jacqueline M. Vink ◽

Kirsten J. M. van Hooijdonk ◽

Gonneke Willemsen ◽

Edith J. M. Feskens ◽

Dorret I. Boomsma

Keyword(s):

Environmental Factors ◽

The Netherlands ◽

Structural Equation ◽

Food Preference ◽

Genetic Factors ◽

Structural Equation Models ◽

Sugar Content ◽

Principal Component ◽

Relative Contribution ◽

Genetic And Environmental Factors

AbstractOur current society is characterized by an increased availability of industrially processed foods with high salt, fat and sugar content. How is it that some people prefer these unhealthy foods while others prefer more healthy foods? It is suggested that both genetic and environmental factors play a role. The aim of this study was to (1) identify food preference clusters in the largest twin-family study into food preference to date and (2) determine the relative contribution of genetic and environmental factors to individual differences in food preference in the Netherlands. Principal component analysis was performed to identify the preference clusters by using data on food liking/disliking from 16,541 adult multiples and their family members. To estimate the heritability of food preference, the data of 7833 twins were used in structural equation models. We identified seven food preference clusters (Meat, Fish, Fruits, Vegetables, Savory snacks, Sweet snacks and Spices) and one cluster with Drinks. Broad-sense heritability (additive [A] + dominant [D] genetic factors) for these clusters varied between .36 and .60. Dominant genetic effects were found for the clusters Fruit, Fish (males only) and Spices. Quantitative sex differences were found for Meat, Fish and Savory snacks and Drinks. To conclude, our study convincingly showed that genetic factors play a significant role in food preference. A next important step is to identify these genes because genetic vulnerability for food preference is expected to be linked to actual food consumption and different diet-related disorders.

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Genetic and Environmental Control of Blood Pressure in Twins and Their Family Members

Acta geneticae medicae et gemellologiae twin research ◽

10.1017/s0001566000006826 ◽

1987 ◽

Vol 36 (4) ◽

pp. 455-466 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

P.V. Tishler ◽

F.I. Lewitter ◽

B. Rosner ◽

F.E. Speizer

Keyword(s):

Blood Pressure ◽

Environmental Factors ◽

Body Mass ◽

Environmental Control ◽

Family Members ◽

Blood Pressure Level ◽

Correlation Coefficients ◽

Pressure Control ◽

Genetic And Environmental Factors ◽

Adult Twins

AbstractAn interdisciplinary study, in adult twins and their family members, of the genetic and environmental determinants of complex physiologic functions is in progress. This report summarizes our initial studies of the control of the level of systolic (K1) and diastolic (K5) blood pressure in 202 monogygotic (MZ) and 121 dizygotic (DZ) twins, their spouses and their children. Correlation coefficients for blood pressure were adjusted for the covariates age, sex, body mass index (wt/ht2) and screener, all of which significantly augment most correlations. These adjusted correlation coefficients in MZ twins are 0.5 for both K1 and K5 blood pressure. For DZ twins, the adjusted correlation coefficients are 0.21 (K1) and 0.24 (K5). MZ twin-offspring adjusted correlation coefficients are higher than MZ twin-niece/nephew adjusted correlation coefficients (0.12 and 0.06, respectively, for K1; 0.20 and 0.13, respectively, for K5), despite the genetic identity of these relationships. That environmental factors may explain these differences is suggested by other differences in adjusted correlation coefficients that are greater than those predicted by the degree of genetic similarity. In addition, we have assessed the relationship between two biochemical-physiological processes, the urinary excretion of kallikrein and transport of sodium in the erythrocyte (the sodium countertransport and the sodium-potassium-chloride cotransport systems), and blood pressure control, since both have been implicated in the control of blood pressure level. Although we found evidence for substantial genetic control of both phenomena, we were unable to establish any correlation between either function and the level of blood pressure in our normotensive subjects.These data point to the operation of three broad categories of control of level of blood pressure: constitutional factors (age, sex, body mass), genetic factors and environmental factors. The identities of the genetic and environmental factors are unknown at this time.

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A Genetic Epidemiologic Study of Social Support in a Chinese Sample

Twin Research and Human Genetics ◽

10.1375/twin.11.1.55 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

pp. 55-62 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Wen-yan Ji ◽

Yong-hua Hu ◽

Yue-qin Huang ◽

Wei-hua Cao ◽

Jun Lu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Social Support ◽

Environmental Factors ◽

Structural Equation ◽

Epidemiologic Study ◽

Final Analysis ◽

Three Dimensions ◽

Equation Modeling ◽

Chinese Sample ◽

Chinese Adult ◽

Genetic And Environmental Factors

AbstractAccumulated evidence suggests that social support is influenced by genetic and environmental factors. However, there are little data that examine this issue from Asian samples. We reported results from a preliminary study that examined familial effects on social support in a Chinese adult twin sample. We administered a 10-item social support instrument that measures three dimensions of social support (i.e., objective support, subjective support, and utilization of support) developed for the Chinese population. Two hundred forty-two same-sex twin pairs, where both members of the pair completed the personal interview, were included in the final analysis. Structural equation modeling was used to estimate additive genetic (A), shared environmental (C), and nonshared environmental (E) effects on each dimension of social support. Familial factors (A+C) explained 56.63% [95% CI = 45.48–65.72%] and 42.42% [95% CI = 29.93–53.25%] of the total phenotypic variances of subjective support and utilization of support, respectively. For the objective support, genetic effects did not exist, but common environmental effect explained 37.56% [95% CI = 26.17–48.28%] of the total phenotypic variances. Neither gender nor age effects were seen on any dimension of social support. Except for objective support, genetic factors probably influence variation in subjective support and utilization of support. Shared environmental factors may influence all dimensions of social support.

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The Association Between Chronic Disease and Psychological Distress: An Australian Twin Study

Twin Research and Human Genetics ◽

10.1017/thg.2020.86 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 23 (6) ◽

pp. 322-329

Author(s):

Jessica Tyler ◽

Janine Lam ◽

Katrina Scurrah ◽

Gillian Dite

Keyword(s):

Psychological Distress ◽

Chronic Disease ◽

Environmental Factors ◽

Twin Study ◽

Disease Status ◽

Adult Health ◽

Linear Regression Models ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Genetic And Environmental Factors ◽

Distress Scale

AbstractThere is a commonly observed association between chronic disease and psychological distress, but many potential factors could confound this association. This study investigated the association using a powerful twin study design that can control for unmeasured confounders that are shared between twins, including genetic and environmental factors. We used twin-paired cross-sectional data from the Adult Health and Lifestyle Questionnaire collected by Twins Research Australia from 2014 to 2017. Linear regression models fitted using maximum likelihood estimations (MLE) were used to test the association between self-reported chronic disease status and psychological distress, measured by the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K6). When comparing between twin pairs, having any chronic disease was associated with a 1.29 increase in K6 (95% CI: 0.91, 1.66; p < .001). When comparing twins within a pair, having any chronic disease was associated with a 0.36 increase in K6 (95% CI: 0.002, 0.71; p = .049). This within-pair estimate is of most interest as comparing twins within a pair naturally controls for shared factors such as genes, age and shared lived experiences. Whereas the between-pair estimate does not. The weaker effect found within pairs tells us that genetic and environmental factors shared between twins confounds the relationship between chronic disease and psychological distress. This suggests that associations found in unrelated samples may show exaggerated estimates.

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Using structural equation models to evaluate the magnitude of measurement error in blood pressure

Statistics in Medicine ◽

10.1002/sim.836 ◽

2001 ◽

Vol 20 (15) ◽

pp. 2351-2368 ◽

Cited By ~ 12

Author(s):

J. M. Batista-Foguet ◽

G. Coenders ◽

M. Artés Ferragud

Keyword(s):

Blood Pressure ◽

Measurement Error ◽

Structural Equation ◽

Structural Equation Models

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Association of Educational Level and Marital Status With Obesity: A Study of Chinese Twins

Twin Research and Human Genetics ◽

10.1017/thg.2018.8 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 21 (2) ◽

pp. 126-135 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Chunxiao Liao ◽

Wenjing Gao ◽

Weihua Cao ◽

Jun Lv ◽

Canqing Yu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Marital Status ◽

Educational Level ◽

Structural Equation ◽

Structural Equation Models ◽

Overweight And Obesity ◽

Individual Level ◽

Study Population ◽

Adult Twins ◽

Chinese Twins ◽

The Relationship

The prevalence of overweight and obesity is growing rapidly in many countries. Socioeconomic inequalities might be important for this increase. The aim of this study was to determine associations of body mass index (BMI), overweight and obesity with educational level and marital status in Chinese twins. Participants were adult twins recruited through the Chinese National Twin Registry (CNTR), aged 18 to 79 years, and the sample comprised 10,448 same-sex twin pairs. Current height, weight, educational attainment, and marital status were self-reported. Regression analyses and structural equation models were conducted to evaluate BMI, overweight, and obesity associated with educational level and marital status in both sexes. At an individual level, both educational level and marital status were associated with higher BMI and higher risk of being overweight and obesity in men, while in women the effects of educational level on BMI were in the opposite direction. In within-Monozygotic (MZ) twin-pair analyses, the effects of educational level on BMI disappeared in females. Bivariate structural equation models showed that genetic factors and shared environmental confounded the relationship between education and BMI in females, whereas marital status was associated with BMI on account of significant positive unique environmental correlation apart in both sexes. The present data suggested that marital status and BMI were associated, independent of familiar factors, for both sexes of this study population, while common genetic and shared environmental factors contributed to education-associated disparities in BMI in females.

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A longitudinal study of personality and major depression in a population-based sample of male twins

Psychological Medicine ◽

10.1017/s0033291707000244 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 37 (8) ◽

pp. 1163-1172 ◽

Cited By ~ 79

Author(s):

AYMAN H. FANOUS ◽

MICHAEL C. NEALE ◽

STEVEN H. AGGEN ◽

KENNETH S. KENDLER

Keyword(s):

Major Depression ◽

Environmental Factors ◽

Structural Equation ◽

Causal Effect ◽

Population Based ◽

Twin Model ◽

Genetic Overlap ◽

Genetic And Environmental Factors ◽

One Year ◽

Time To Onset

ABSTRACTBackgroundThe relationship between personality and psychiatric illness is complex. It is not clear whether one directly causes the other.MethodIn a population-based sample of male twins (n=3030), we attempted to predict major depression (MD) from neuroticism (N) and extraversion (E) and vice versa, to evaluate the causal, scar, state, and prodromal hypotheses. In a longitudinal, structural equation twin model, we decomposed the covariation between N and MD into (a) genetic and environmental factors that are common to both traits, as well as specific to each one and (b) direct causal effects of N at time 1 on subsequent MD, as well as between MD and subsequent N.ResultsE was negatively correlated with lifetime and one-year prevalence of MD. N predicted the new onset of MD, and was predicted by both current and past MD. It did not predict the time to onset of MD. All of the covariation between N and MD was due to additive genetic and individual-specific environmental factors shared by both traits and a direct causal path between MD and N assessed later. No genetic factors were unique to either trait.ConclusionsIn men, N may be a vulnerability factor for MD but does not cause it directly. However, MD may have a direct causal effect on N. The genetic overlap between N and MD in men may be greater than in women.

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The interaction of genetic and environmental factors in the etiology of hypertension

Physiological Research ◽

10.33549/physiolres.931913 ◽

2009 ◽

pp. S33-S42 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

J Kuneš ◽

J Zicha

Keyword(s):

Blood Pressure ◽

Essential Hypertension ◽

Cardiovascular Diseases ◽

Environmental Factors ◽

Research Effort ◽

Epigenetic Inheritance ◽

Complex Trait ◽

Medical Problem ◽

Regulatory Systems ◽

Genetic And Environmental Factors

Essential hypertension is a major risk factor for several cardiovascular diseases. It is a complex trait resulting from the interactions of multiple genetic and environmental factors. Moreover, not only genetic but also epigenetic inheritance plays a significant role. One can speculate that hypertension develops as a consequence of “errors” in well-coordinated regulatory systems of blood pressure. Errors in the cascade of molecular, biochemical and genetic processes, which regulate blood pressure, have finally enough potential to result in hypertension. Numerous environmental factors surrounding the organism during its development should influence the expression of genetic information. However, despite the considerable research effort, it is still difficult to identify all genes and/or other genetic determinants leading to essential hypertension and other cardiovascular diseases. This is mainly because these diseases usually become a medical problem in adulthood, although their roots might be traced back to earlier stages of ontogeny. The link between distinct developmental periods (e.g. birth and adulthood) should involve changes in gene expression involving epigenetic phenomena. The purpose of the present paper is to bring a piece of light on gene-environmental interactions potentially implicated in the pathogenesis of hypertension.

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