title: Development and evaluation of a genetic risk score for obesity.
abstract: Multi-locus profiles of genetic risk, so-called "genetic risk scores," can be used to translate discoveries from genome-wide association studies into tools for population health research. We developed a genetic risk score for obesity from results of 16 published genome-wide association studies of obesity phenotypes in European-descent samples. We then evaluated this genetic risk score using data from the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) cohort GWAS sample (N = 10,745, 55% female, 77% white, 23% African American). Our 32-locus GRS was a statistically significant predictor of body mass index (BMI) and obesity among ARIC whites [for BMI, r = 0.13, p<1 × 10(-30); for obesity, area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) = 0.57 (95% CI 0.55-0.58)]. The GRS predicted differences in obesity risk net of demographic, geographic, and socioeconomic information. The GRS performed less well among African Americans. The genetic risk score we derived from GWAS provides a molecular measurement of genetic predisposition to elevated BMI and obesity.[Supplemental materials are available for this article. Go to the publisher's online edition of Biodemography and Social Biology for the following resource: Supplement to Development & Evaluation of a Genetic Risk Score for Obesity.].
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Policy & Management , University of North Carolina , Chapel Hill , NC, USA. dbelsky@duke.edu
authors.forename: Daniel W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Belsky
authors.forename: Terrie E
authors.initials: TE
authors.lastname: Moffitt
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sugden
authors.forename: Benjamin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.forename: Renate
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Houts
authors.forename: Jeanette
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: McCarthy
authors.forename: Avshalom
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Caspi
mesh_terms: D001741:Black or African American / Q000235:genetics; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000208:ethnology / Q000235:genetics; D015992:Body Mass Index; D005190:Family; D005260:Female; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D055106:Genome-Wide Association Study; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000208:ethnology / Q000235:genetics*; D010641:Phenotype; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012372:ROC Curve; D018570:Risk Assessment; D014481:United States; D044465:White People / Q000235:genetics