title: The FTO A/T polymorphism and elite athletic performance: a study involving three groups of European athletes.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The FTO A/T polymorphism (rs9939609) is a strong candidate to influence obesity-related traits. Elite athletes from many different sporting disciplines are characterized by low body fat. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess whether athletic status is associated with the FTO A/T polymorphism.
  
  
  METHODS
  A large cohort of European Caucasians from Poland, Russia and Spain were tested to examine the association between FTO A/T polymorphism (rs9939609) and athletic status. A total of 551 athletes were divided by type of sport (endurance athletes, n = 266 vs. sprint/power athletes, n = 285) as well as by level of competition (elite-level vs. national-level). The control group consisted of 1,416 ethnically-matched, non-athletic participants, all Europeans. Multinomial logistic regression analyses were conducted to assess the association between FTO A/T genotypes and athletic status/competition level.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were no significantly greater/lesser odds of harbouring any type of genotype when comparing across athletic status (endurance athletes, sprint/power athletes or control participants). These effects were observed after controlling for sex and nationality. Furthermore, no significantly greater/lesser odds ratios were observed for any of the genotypes in respect to the level of competition (elite-level vs. national-level).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The FTO A/T polymorphism is not associated with elite athletic status in the largest group of elite athletes studied to date. Large collaborations and data sharing between researchers, as presented here, are strongly recommended to enhance the research in the field of exercise genomics.
authors.affiliation: School of Sports and Exercise Sciences, Victoria University, Melbourne, Australia. Nir.Eynon@vu.edu.au
authors.forename: Nir
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Eynon
authors.forename: Emiliya S
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Nasibulina
authors.forename: Lauren K
authors.initials: LK
authors.lastname: Banting
authors.forename: Pawel
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Cieszczyk
authors.forename: Agnieszka
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Maciejewska-Karlowska
authors.forename: Marek
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sawczuk
authors.forename: Elvira A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Bondareva
authors.forename: Roza R
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Shagimardanova
authors.forename: Maytal
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Raz
authors.forename: Yael
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sharon
authors.forename: Alun G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.forename: Ildus I
authors.initials: II
authors.lastname: Ahmetov
authors.forename: Alejandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lucia
authors.forename: Ruth
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Birk
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000071516:Alpha-Ketoglutarate-Dependent Dioxygenase FTO; D056352:Athletes; D054874:Athletic Performance; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D056726:Genetic Association Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011044:Poland; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D011506:Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D012426:Russia; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D013030:Spain; D044465:White People; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D011506:Proteins; D000071516:Alpha-Ketoglutarate-Dependent Dioxygenase FTO; C526492:FTO protein, human