Nutr Res Pract.  2012 Feb;6(1):78-85.

Interactions between the FTO rs9939609 polymorphism, body mass index, and lifestyle-related factors on metabolic syndrome risk

• Baik I
• Shin C

Abstract

Whether the FTO polymorphisms interact with environmental factors has not yet been evaluated in associations with metabolic syndrome (MS) risk. The present study investigated the association of the FTO rs9939609 genotypes, body mass index (BMI), and lifestyle-related factors including smoking, alcohol drinking, physical activity, and diet with MS incidence. A population-based prospective cohort study comprised 3,504 male and female Koreans aged 40 to 69 years. At the beginning of the study, all individuals were free of MS and known cardiovascular disease. Incident cases of MS were identified by biennial health examinations during a follow-up period from April 17, 2003 to April 15, 2009. Pooled logistic regression analysis was applied to obtain relative odds (RO) of MS with its 95% confidence interval (CI). After controlling for potential MS risk factors, we observed no association between the rs9939609 genotypes and MS incidence. In analysis stratified by BMI, however, carriers with the FTO risk allele whose BMI is 29 kg/m2 or greater showed an approximately 6-fold higher RO (95% CI: 3.82 to 9.30) compared with non-carriers with BMI less than 25 kg/m2. In particular, the association between the rs9939609 variants and MS risk was significantly modified by high BMI (P-value for interaction < 0.05). Such significant interaction appeared in associations with central obesity and high blood pressure among the MS components. Because carriers of the FTO risk alleles who had BMI of 29 kg/m2 or greater are considered a high risk population, we suggest that they may need intensive weight loss regimens to prevent MS development.

Keyword

FTO polymorphism; metabolic syndrome incidence; body mass index; lifestyle; prospective study

MeSH Terms

Aged
Alcohol Drinking
Alleles
Body Mass Index
Cardiovascular Diseases
Cohort Studies
Diet
Female
Follow-Up Studies
Genotype
Humans
Hypertension
Incidence
Life Style
Logistic Models
Male
Motor Activity
Obesity, Abdominal
Odds Ratio
Prospective Studies
Risk Factors
Smoke
Smoking
Weight Loss
Smoke

Figure

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  Fig. 1 Relative odds of MS incidence by joint effects of the FTO rs9939609 genotypes and BMI. Abbreviation: MS, metabolic syndrome; BMI, body mass index; RO, relative odds 1)Data are adjusted for age (continuous), sex, BMI (continuous), income (monthly wage of < 106 or ≥ 106 won), occupation (office job, non-office job, or others), educational level (< 9 or ≥ 9 years), smoking status (never smoker, former smoker, current smoker; < 10 cigarettes per year, 10-19 cigarettes per year, 20+ cigarettes per year), alcohol intake (abstainers, current alcohol consumption; < 15.1g, 15.1-30, > 30 g/day), physical activity (quartiles of MET-hours/day), total energy intake (quartiles), energy-adjusted intake of carbohydrate or fat (quartiles), and study site.

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