Genetic analysis of self-reported physical activity and adiposity: the Southwest Ohio Family Study.
OBJECTIVE
Physical inactivity poses a major risk for obesity and chronic disease, and is influenced by both genetic and environmental factors. However, the genetic association between physical activity (PA) level and obesity is not well characterized. Our aims were to: (i) estimate the extent of additive genetic influences on physical activity while adjusting for household effects; and (ii) determine whether physical activity and adiposity measures share common genetic effects.


METHODS
The sample included 521 (42 % male) adult relatives, 18-86 years of age, from five large families in the Southwest Ohio Family Study.


METHODS
Sport, leisure and work PA were self-reported (Baecke Questionnaire of Habitual Physical Activity). Total body and trunk adiposity, including percentage body fat (%BF), were measured using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Abdominal visceral and subcutaneous adipose tissue mass were measured using MRI.


RESULTS
Heritabilities for adiposity and PA traits, and the genetic, household and environmental correlations among them, were estimated using maximum likelihood variance components methods. Significant genetic effects (P < 0.05) were found for sport (h2 = 0.26) and leisure PA (h2 = 0.17). Significant (P < 0.05) household effects existed for leisure PA (c2 = 0.25). Sport PA had a negative genetic correlation with central adiposity measurements adjusted for height (rhoG > |-0.40|). Sport and leisure PA had negative genetic correlations with %BF (rhoG > |-0.46|).


CONCLUSIONS
The results suggest that the association of sport and leisure PA with lower adiposity is due, in part, to a common genetic inheritance of both reduced adiposity and the predisposition to engage in more physical activity.
Choh
Audrey C
AC
Lifespan Health Research Center, Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine, 3171 Research Boulevard, Kettering, OH 45420-4006, USA. audrey.choh@wright.edu
Demerath
Ellen W
EW
Lee
Miryoung
M
Williams
Kimberly D
KD
Towne
Bradford
B
Siervogel
Roger M
RM
Cole
Shelley A
SA
Czerwinski
Stefan A
SA
D000273:Adipose Tissue; D050154:Adiposity / Q000235:genetics*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D004777:Environment; D015444:Exercise; D005191:Family Characteristics; D005260:Female; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006801:Humans; D007899:Leisure Activities; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000235:genetics*; D009765:Obesity / Q000235:genetics*; D009820:Ohio; D010641:Phenotype; D013177:Sports / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014937:Work; D055815:Young Adult
Med Sci Sports Exerc. 1994 Mar;26(3):376-82
8183104
J Am Geriatr Soc. 2001 Jan;49(1):28-35
11207839
J Appl Physiol (1985). 2005 Sep;99(3):1193-204
16103522
Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord. 1999 Apr;23 Suppl 3:S55-63
10368004
Stroke. 1998 Oct;29(10):2049-54
9756580
Obesity (Silver Spring). 2006 Sep;14(9):1596-604
17030971
Am J Hum Genet. 1997 Jan;60(1):166-73
8981960
Med Sci Sports Exerc. 1997 Jun;29(6 Suppl):S1-205
9243481
Am J Hum Genet. 1998 May;62(5):1198-211
9545414
Ann Epidemiol. 2003 Feb;13(2):128-35
12559672
Int J Epidemiol. 1995 Aug;24(4):685-93
8550264
Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2000 Sep;32(9):1598-600
10994911
Circulation. 2000 Aug 29;102(9):975-80
10961960
Am J Epidemiol. 1997 Aug 1;146(3):214-22
9247005
Am J Hum Biol. 1999 Sep;11(5):587-597
11533977
Obes Res. 2004 May;12(5):789-98
15166299
Med Sci Sports Exerc. 1993 Jan;25(1):81-91
8423759
Obes Res. 2005 Nov;13(11):1849-63
16339115
Am J Prev Med. 2002 Aug;23(2 Suppl):87-91
12133742
J Appl Physiol (1985). 2005 Sep;99(3):1220-5
15860689
Int J Obes (Lond). 2007 Feb;31(2):285-91
16770332
Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2005 Jun;37(6):881-903
15947712
Mol Med. 1997 Oct;3(10):663-73
9392003
Int J Obes (Lond). 2005 Apr;29(4):420-8
15597110
Psychiatry Res. 2006 Jun 15;142(2-3):209-17
16697469
Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2004 Sep;36(9):1559-66
15354038
Ann Hum Genet. 1982 Oct;46(4):373-83
6961886
Am J Hypertens. 2005 Sep;18(9 Pt 1):1211-7
16182112
Med Sci Sports Exerc. 1997 Aug;29(8):1062-8
9268964
Genet Epidemiol. 1997;14(6):953-8
9433606
Int J Epidemiol. 1995 Apr;24(2):381-8
7635600
Sports Med. 2003;33(10):709-26
12895129
Obesity (Silver Spring). 2006 Apr;14(4):529-644
16741264
Hypertension. 1980 Jul-Aug;2(4 Pt 2):83-92
7399649
Am J Epidemiol. 1998 May 15;147(10):982-90
9596477
Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord. 2000 Jul;24(7):807-18
10918526
Obes Res. 2005 Jan;13(1):66-74
15761164
Physiol Behav. 2003 Apr;78(4-5):751-7
12782232
Biochem Med Metab Biol. 1993 Oct;50(2):176-85
8260195
Obesity (Silver Spring). 2006 Apr;14(4):701-9
16741273
Am J Epidemiol. 1989 May;129(5):1012-22
2705422
Am J Clin Nutr. 1982 Nov;36(5):936-42
7137077
Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2006 Nov;38(11):1863-88
17095919
Int J Sports Med. 1999 Jul;20(5):284-9
10452224
J Hum Hypertens. 2006 Apr;20(4):281-9
16437129
Am J Clin Nutr. 2007 Feb;85(2):362-8
17284730
Am J Hum Genet. 1999 Oct;65(4):1134-47
10486333
Am J Clin Nutr. 1990 Dec;52(6):953-9
2239792
Circulation. 2007 Aug 28;116(9):1081-93
17671237
Obes Res. 2001 Nov;9 Suppl 4:244S-248S
11707549