title: Detailed analysis of variants in FTO in association with body composition in a cohort of 70-year-olds suggests a weakened effect among elderly.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The rs9939609 single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in the fat mass and obesity (FTO) gene has previously been associated with higher BMI levels in children and young adults. In contrast, this association was not found in elderly men. BMI is a measure of overweight in relation to the individuals' height, but offers no insight into the regional body fat composition or distribution.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To examine whether the FTO gene is associated with overweight and body composition-related phenotypes rather than BMI, we measured waist circumference, total fat mass, trunk fat mass, leg fat mass, visceral and subcutaneous adipose tissue, and daily energy intake in 985 humans (493 women) at the age of 70 years. In total, 733 SNPs located in the FTO gene were genotyped in order to examine whether rs9939609 alone or the other SNPs, or their combinations, are linked to obesity-related measures in elderly humans.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional analysis of the Prospective Investigation of the Vasculature in Uppsala Seniors (PIVUS) cohort.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Neither a single SNP, such as rs9939609, nor a SNP combination was significantly linked to overweight, body composition-related measures, or daily energy intake in elderly humans. Of note, these observations hold both among men and women.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Due to the diversity of measurements included in the study, our findings strengthen the view that the effect of FTO on body composition appears to be less profound in later life compared to younger ages and that this is seemingly independent of gender.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience, Functional Pharmacology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.
authors.forename: Josefin A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Jacobsson
authors.forename: Markus Sällman
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Almén
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Benedict
authors.forename: Lilia A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Hedberg
authors.forename: Karl
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Michaëlsson
authors.forename: Samantha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Brooks
authors.forename: Joel
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kullberg
authors.forename: Tomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Axelsson
authors.forename: Lars
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Johansson
authors.forename: Håkan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ahlström
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Fredriksson
authors.forename: Lars
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lind
authors.forename: Helgi B
authors.initials: HB
authors.lastname: Schiöth
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000071516:Alpha-Ketoglutarate-Dependent Dioxygenase FTO; D000886:Anthropometry; D001823:Body Composition / Q000235:genetics*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D002149:Energy Intake / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D056726:Genetic Association Studies; D005819:Genetic Markers; D006239:Haplotypes / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D015810:Linkage Disequilibrium / Q000235:genetics; D008297:Male; D010641:Phenotype; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide / Q000235:genetics*; D011506:Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D012044:Regression Analysis
chemical_list: D005819:Genetic Markers; D011506:Proteins; D000071516:Alpha-Ketoglutarate-Dependent Dioxygenase FTO; C526492:FTO protein, human