Variation in the fat mass and obesity-related (FTO) genotype is not associated with body fatness in infants, but possibly with their length.
BACKGROUND
Data relating variation at the fat mass and obesity-related (FTO) locus (rs9939609) to fat mass in infancy are inconclusive.


OBJECTIVE
To study relationships between FTO genotype and infant size (at 1 and 12 weeks and at 1 year of age) and body composition (at 1 and 12 weeks).


METHODS
Body composition was assessed using air displacement plethysmography in 207 infants. FTO was genotyped using the TaqMan assay.


RESULTS
The number of risk alleles was related to length at 1 and 12 weeks (P = 0.007-0.033) but not to fat mass. The relationship to length was stronger in boys than in girls.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results suggest that the FTO genotype is not related during infancy to fat mass but is related to length in boys but not in girls.
Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden.
P
P
Henriksson
M
M
Löf
P
P
Söderkvist
E
E
Forsum
D050154:Adiposity; D000483:Alleles; D000071516:Alpha-Ketoglutarate-Dependent Dioxygenase FTO; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001823:Body Composition; D050218:Body Fat Distribution; D001827:Body Height; D015992:Body Mass Index; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000235:genetics*; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide / Q000235:genetics; D011506:Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D017678:Sex Distribution
D011506:Proteins; D000071516:Alpha-Ketoglutarate-Dependent Dioxygenase FTO; C526492:FTO protein, human
Body composition; FTO; fat mass; infant