Breast-feeding modulates the influence of the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma (PPARG2) Pro12Ala polymorphism on adiposity in adolescents: The Healthy Lifestyle in Europe by Nutrition in Adolescence (HELENA) cross-sectional study.
OBJECTIVE
The peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma2 (PPARG2) Pro12Ala polymorphism has been associated with a higher BMI and a lower risk of type 2 diabetes in adulthood. The association between adiposity and PPARG variants can be influenced by environmental factors such as early growth, dietary fat, and (as recently shown) breast-feeding. The objectives of this study were to assess 1) the influence of the PPARG2 Pro12Ala polymorphism on adiposity markers in adolescents and 2) a possible modulating effect of breast-feeding on these associations.


METHODS
Data on breast-feeding duration, BMI, and genotypes for the Pro12Ala polymorphism were available for 945 adolescents (mean age 14.7 years). The breast-feeding duration was obtained from parental records. We measured weight, height, waist circumference, and six skinfold thicknesses.


RESULTS
No significant associations between the Pro12Ala polymorphism and any of the above-mentioned anthropometric parameters were found. There were significant interactions between the PPARG2 Pro12Ala polymorphism and breast-feeding with regard to adiposity measurements (all adjusted P < 0.05). Indeed, in children who had not been breast-fed, Ala12 allele carriers had higher adiposity parameters (e.g., Delta BMI +1.88 kg/m(2), adjusted for age, sex, and center, P = 0.007) than Pro12Pro adolescents. In contrast, in breast-fed subjects, there was no significant difference between Ala12 allele carriers and Pro12Pro children in terms of adiposity measurements, whatever the duration of breast-feeding.


CONCLUSIONS
Breast-feeding appears to counter the deleterious effect of the PPARG2 Pro12Ala polymorphism on anthropometric parameters in adolescents.
Verier
Caroline
C
INSERM, U995, Institut Fédératif de Recherche 114, Faculté de Médecine, Université Droit et Santé de Lille, Lille, France.
Meirhaeghe
Aline
A
Bokor
Szilvia
S
Breidenassel
Christina
C
Manios
Yannis
Y
Molnár
Dénes
D
Artero
Enrique G
EG
Nova
Esther
E
De Henauw
Stefaan
S
Moreno
Luis A
LA
Amouyel
Philippe
P
Labayen
Idoia
I
Bevilacqua
Noemi
N
Turck
Dominique
D
Béghin
Laurent
L
Dallongeville
Jean
J
Gottrand
Frédéric
F
D050154:Adiposity / Q000235:genetics*; D000293:Adolescent; D001827:Body Height / Q000235:genetics; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001835:Body Weight / Q000235:genetics; D001942:Breast Feeding; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D047495:PPAR gamma / Q000235:genetics*; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic / Q000235:genetics*; D055105:Waist Circumference / Q000235:genetics
D047495:PPAR gamma