Zygosity Differences in Height and Body Mass Index of Twins From Infancy to Old Age: A Study of the CODATwins Project.
A trend toward greater body size in dizygotic (DZ) than in monozygotic (MZ) twins has been suggested by some but not all studies, and this difference may also vary by age. We analyzed zygosity differences in mean values and variances of height and body mass index (BMI) among male and female twins from infancy to old age. Data were derived from an international database of 54 twin cohorts participating in the COllaborative project of Development of Anthropometrical measures in Twins (CODATwins), and included 842,951 height and BMI measurements from twins aged 1 to 102 years. The results showed that DZ twins were consistently taller than MZ twins, with differences of up to 2.0 cm in childhood and adolescence and up to 0.9 cm in adulthood. Similarly, a greater mean BMI of up to 0.3 kg/m2 in childhood and adolescence and up to 0.2 kg/m2 in adulthood was observed in DZ twins, although the pattern was less consistent. DZ twins presented up to 1.7% greater height and 1.9% greater BMI than MZ twins; these percentage differences were largest in middle and late childhood and decreased with age in both sexes. The variance of height was similar in MZ and DZ twins at most ages. In contrast, the variance of BMI was significantly higher in DZ than in MZ twins, particularly in childhood. In conclusion, DZ twins were generally taller and had greater BMI than MZ twins, but the differences decreased with age in both sexes.
Department of Social Research,University of Helsinki,Helsinki,Finland.
Aline
A
Jelenkovic
Department of Public Health Nursing,Osaka City University,Osaka,Japan.
Yoshie
Y
Yokoyama
Department of Social Research,University of Helsinki,Helsinki,Finland.
Reijo
R
Sund
Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine,Osaka University,Osaka,Japan.
Chika
C
Honda
Department of Public Health,University of Helsinki,Helsinki,Finland.
Leonie H
LH
Bogl
Department of Social Research,University of Helsinki,Helsinki,Finland.
Sari
S
Aaltonen
Department of Noncommunicable Diseases Prevention,Qingdao Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,Qingdao,China.
Fuling
F
Ji
Department of Noncommunicable Diseases Prevention,Qingdao Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,Qingdao,China.
Feng
F
Ning
Department of Noncommunicable Diseases Prevention,Qingdao Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,Qingdao,China.
Zengchang
Z
Pang
Department of Human Anatomy and Psychobiology,University of Murcia,Murcia,Spain.
Juan R
JR
Ordoñana
Department of Developmental and Educational Psychology,University of Murcia,Murcia,Spain.
Juan F
JF
Sánchez-Romera
Department of Human Anatomy and Psychobiology,University of Murcia,Murcia,Spain.
Lucia
L
Colodro-Conde
Michigan State University,East Lansing,MI,USA.
S Alexandra
SA
Burt
Michigan State University,East Lansing,MI,USA.
Kelly L
KL
Klump
QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute,Brisbane,Queensland,Australia.
Sarah E
SE
Medland
QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute,Brisbane,Queensland,Australia.
Grant W
GW
Montgomery
Department of Psychology,Bielefeld University,Bielefeld,Germany.
Christian
C
Kandler
MRC Social,Genetic & Developmental Psychiatry Centre,Institute of Psychiatry,Psychology & Neuroscience,King's College London,London,UK.
Tom A
TA
McAdams
MRC Social,Genetic & Developmental Psychiatry Centre,Institute of Psychiatry,Psychology & Neuroscience,King's College London,London,UK.
Thalia C
TC
Eley
Department of Psychology,Goldsmiths,University of London,New Cross,London,UK.
Alice M
AM
Gregory
Department of Psychological and Brain Sciencies,Boston University,Boston,MA,USA.
Kimberly J
KJ
Saudino
School of Epidemiology,Public Health and Preventive Medicine,University of Ottawa,Ottawa,Ontario,Canada.
Lise
L
Dubois
École de psychologie,Université Laval,Québec,Canada.
Michel
M
Boivin
Department of Radiology and Oncotherapy,Semmelweis University,Budapest,Hungary.
Adam D
AD
Tarnoki
Department of Radiology and Oncotherapy,Semmelweis University,Budapest,Hungary.
David L
DL
Tarnoki
MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit,University of Bristol,Bristol,UK.
Claire M A
CM
Haworth
MRC Social,Genetic & Developmental Psychiatry Centre,Institute of Psychiatry,Psychology & Neuroscience,King's College London,London,UK.
Robert
R
Plomin
Department of Statistics,Faculty of Arts and Sciences,Kırıkkale University,Kırıkkale,Turkey.
Sevgi Y
SY
Öncel
Departments of Psychiatry,Psychology,and Human and Molecular Genetics,Virginia Institute for Psychiatric and Behavioral Genetics,Virginia Commonwealth University,Richmond,VA,USA.
Fazil
F
Aliev
Istituto Superiore di Sanità - National Center for Epidemiology,Surveillance and Health Promotion,Rome,Italy.
Maria A
MA
Stazi
Istituto Superiore di Sanità - National Center for Epidemiology,Surveillance and Health Promotion,Rome,Italy.
Corrado
C
Fagnani
Istituto Superiore di Sanità - National Center for Epidemiology,Surveillance and Health Promotion,Rome,Italy.
Cristina
C
D'Ippolito
Murdoch Childrens Research Institute,Royal Children's Hospital,Melbourne,Victoria,Australia.
Jeffrey M
JM
Craig
Murdoch Childrens Research Institute,Royal Children's Hospital,Melbourne,Victoria,Australia.
Richard
R
Saffery
Institute of Research & Development,Battaramulla,Sri Lanka.
Sisira H
SH
Siribaddana
NIHR Mental Health Biomedical Research Centre,South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, andInstitute of Psychiatry Psychology and Neuroscience,King's College London,London,UK.
Matthew
M
Hotopf
Institute of Research & Development,Battaramulla,Sri Lanka.
Athula
A
Sumathipala
MRC Social,Genetic & Developmental Psychiatry Centre,Institute of Psychiatry,Psychology & Neuroscience,King's College London,London,UK.
Fruhling
F
Rijsdijk
Department of Twin Research and Genetic Epidemiology,King's College London,London,UK.
Timothy
T
Spector
Department of Twin Research and Genetic Epidemiology,King's College London,London,UK.
Massimo
M
Mangino
Department of Twin Research and Genetic Epidemiology,King's College London,London,UK.
Genevieve
G
Lachance
Department of Psychology,University of Southern California,Los Angeles,CA,USA.
Margaret
M
Gatz
Institute of Medicine,National Academy of Sciences Washington,DC,WA,USA.
David A
DA
Butler
Healthy Twin Association of Mongolia,Ulaanbaatar,Mongolia.
Gombojav
G
Bayasgalan
Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences,Hiroshima University,Hiroshima,Japan.
Danshiitsoodol
D
Narandalai
Department of Physical Education and Sport,University of Madeira,Funchal,Portugal.
Duarte L
DL
Freitas
CIFI2D,Faculty of Sport,University of Porto,Porto,Portugal.
José Antonio
JA
Maia
Department of Psychology,University of Texas at Austin,Austin,TX,USA.
K Paige
KP
Harden
Department of Psychology,University of Texas at Austin,Austin,TX,USA.
Elliot M
EM
Tucker-Drob
Department of Psychology,Pusan National University,Busan,SouthKorea.
Bia
B
Kim
Department of Psychology,Pusan National University,Busan,SouthKorea.
Youngsook
Y
Chong
Department of Psychology,Pusan National University,Busan,SouthKorea.
Changhee
C
Hong
Department of Psychology,Pusan National University,Busan,SouthKorea.
Hyun Jung
HJ
Shin
The Danish Twin Registry,Institute of Public Health,Epidemiology,Biostatistics & Biodemography,University of Southern Denmark,Odense,Denmark.
Kaare
K
Christensen
The Danish Twin Registry,Institute of Public Health,Epidemiology,Biostatistics & Biodemography,University of Southern Denmark,Odense,Denmark.
Axel
A
Skytthe
Department of Clinical Research,University of Southern Denmark,Odense,Denmark.
Kirsten O
KO
Kyvik
Centre of Human Genetics,University Hospitals Leuven,Leuven,Belgium.
Catherine A
CA
Derom
Centre of Human Genetics,University Hospitals Leuven,Leuven,Belgium.
Robert F
RF
Vlietinck
The Charles Bronfman Institute for Personalized Medicine,The Mindich Child Health and Development Institute,Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai,New York,NY,USA.
Ruth J F
RJ
Loos
Department of Preventive Medicine,Keck School of Medicine of USC,University of Southern California,Los Angeles,CA,USA.
Wendy
W
Cozen
Department of Preventive Medicine,Keck School of Medicine of USC,University of Southern California,Los Angeles,CA,USA.
Amie E
AE
Hwang
Department of Preventive Medicine,Keck School of Medicine of USC,University of Southern California,Los Angeles,CA,USA.
Thomas M
TM
Mack
State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology,Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center,Sun Yat-Sen University,Guangzhou,China.
Mingguang
M
He
State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology,Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center,Sun Yat-Sen University,Guangzhou,China.
Xiaohu
X
Ding
State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology,Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center,Sun Yat-Sen University,Guangzhou,China.
Billy
B
Chang
Department of Human and Molecular Genetics,Virginia Institute for Psychiatric and Behavioral Genetics,Virginia Commonwealth University,Richmond,VA,USA.
Judy L
JL
Silberg
Department of Human and Molecular Genetics,Virginia Institute for Psychiatric and Behavioral Genetics,Virginia Commonwealth University,Richmond,VA,USA.
Lindon J
LJ
Eaves
Department of Human and Molecular Genetics,Psychiatry & Massey Cancer Center,Virginia Commonwealth University,Richmond,VA,USA.
Hermine H
HH
Maes
The Australian Twin Registry,Centre for Epidemiology and Biostatistics,The University of Melbourne,Melbourne,Victoria,Australia.
Tessa L
TL
Cutler
The Australian Twin Registry,Centre for Epidemiology and Biostatistics,The University of Melbourne,Melbourne,Victoria,Australia.
John L
JL
Hopper
Centre for Epidemiology and Biostatistics,The University of Melbourne,Melbourne,Victoria,Australia.
Kelly
K
Aujard
Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics,Karolinska Institutet,Stockholm,Sweden.
Patrik K E
PK
Magnusson
Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics,Karolinska Institutet,Stockholm,Sweden.
Nancy L
NL
Pedersen
Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics,Karolinska Institutet,Stockholm,Sweden.
Anna K Dahl
AK
Aslan
Department of Family Medicine,Samsung Medical Center,School of Medicine,Sungkyunkwan University,Seoul,South Korea.
Yun-Mi
YM
Song
Department of Epidemiology,School of Public Health,Seoul National University,Seoul,SouthKorea.
Sarah
S
Yang
Department of Family Medicine,Busan Paik Hospital,Inje University College of Medicine,Busan,South Korea.
Kayoung
K
Lee
Department of Psychology,University of Southern California,Los Angeles,CA,USA.
Laura A
LA
Baker
Department of Psychology,University of Southern California,Los Angeles,CA,USA.
Catherine
C
Tuvblad
Bandim Health Project,INDEPTH Network,Bissau,Guinea-Bissau.
Morten
M
Bjerregaard-Andersen
Department of Endocrinology,Odense University Hospital,Odense,Denmark.
Henning
H
Beck-Nielsen
Department of Infectious Diseases,Odense University Hospital,Odense,Denmark.
Morten
M
Sodemann
Department of Public Health,University of Helsinki,Helsinki,Finland.
Kauko
K
Heikkilä
Epidemiology,Biostatistics and Biodemography,Institute of Public Health,University of Southern Denmark,Odense,Denmark.
Qihua
Q
Tan
Department of Public Health,Qingdao University Medical College,Qingdao,China.
Dongfeng
D
Zhang
Department of Medicine,Stanford Prevention Research Center,Stanford University School of Medicine,Stanford,CA,USA.
Gary E
GE
Swan
Center for Health Sciences,SRI International,Menlo Park,CA,USA.
Ruth
R
Krasnow
Department of Psychiatry,University of British Columbia,Vancouver,British Columbia,Canada.
Kerry L
KL
Jang
The Hebrew University of Jerusalem,Jerusalem,Israel.
Ariel
A
Knafo-Noam
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology,Hadassah Hospital,Hebrew University Medical School,Jerusalem,Israel.
David
D
Mankuta
The Hebrew University of Jerusalem,Jerusalem,Israel.
Lior
L
Abramson
Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics,Karolinska Institutet,Stockholm,Sweden.
Paul
P
Lichtenstein
Department of Psychology,University of Minnesota,Minneapolis,MN,USA.
Robert F
RF
Krueger
Department of Psychology,University of Minnesota,Minneapolis,MN,USA.
Matt
M
McGue
Department of Psychology,University of Minnesota,Minneapolis,MN,USA.
Shandell
S
Pahlen
Department of Public Health Sciences,Karolinska Institutet,Stockholm,Sweden.
Per
P
Tynelius
Center for Clinical and Epidemiological Research,University of Washington,Seattle,WA,USA.
Glen E
GE
Duncan
Center for Clinical and Epidemiological Research,University of Washington,Seattle,WA,USA.
Dedra
D
Buchwald
Institute for Behavioral Genetics,Boulder,CO,USA.
Robin P
RP
Corley
Institute for Behavioral Genetics,Boulder,CO,USA.
Brooke M
BM
Huibregtse
Department of Health and Exercise Sciences and Colorado School of Public Health,Colorado State University,CO,USA.
Tracy L
TL
Nelson
Psychology and Neuroscience,Duke University,Durham,NC,USA.
Keith E
KE
Whitfield
Department of Psychiatry,University of California,San Diego,CA,USA.
Carol E
CE
Franz
Department of Psychiatry,University of California,San Diego,CA,USA.
William S
WS
Kremen
Department of Psychology,Boston University,Boston,MA,USA.
Michael J
MJ
Lyons
Department of Health Science,Ishikawa Prefectural Nursing University,Kahoku,Ishikawa,Japan.
Syuichi
S
Ooki
Department of Genes and Environment,Division of Epidemiology,Norwegian Institute of Public Health,Oslo,Norway.
Ingunn
I
Brandt
Department of Genes and Environment,Division of Epidemiology,Norwegian Institute of Public Health,Oslo,Norway.
Thomas Sevenius
TS
Nilsen
Faculty of Health Science,Kio University,Nara,Japan.
Fujio
F
Inui
Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine,Osaka University,Osaka,Japan.
Mikio
M
Watanabe
Department of Biological Psychology,VU University Amsterdam,Amsterdam,The Netherlands.
Meike
M
Bartels
Department of Biological Psychology,VU University Amsterdam,Amsterdam,The Netherlands.
Toos C E M
TC
van Beijsterveldt
Department of Epidemiology and Public Health,Health Behaviour Research Centre,Institute of Epidemiology and Health Care,University College London,London,UK.
Jane
J
Wardle
Department of Epidemiology and Public Health,Health Behaviour Research Centre,Institute of Epidemiology and Health Care,University College London,London,UK.
Clare H
CH
Llewellyn
Department of Epidemiology and Public Health,Health Behaviour Research Centre,Institute of Epidemiology and Health Care,University College London,London,UK.
Abigail
A
Fisher
Department of Genetics,Physical Anthropology and Animal Physiology,University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU,Leioa,Spain.
Esther
E
Rebato
QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute,Brisbane,Queensland,Australia.
Nicholas G
NG
Martin
Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine,Osaka University,Osaka,Japan.
Yoshinori
Y
Iwatani
Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine,Osaka University,Osaka,Japan.
Kazuo
K
Hayakawa
Department of Epidemiology,School of Public Health,Seoul National University,Seoul,SouthKorea.
Joohon
J
Sung
Department of Genes and Environment,Division of Epidemiology,Norwegian Institute of Public Health,Oslo,Norway.
Jennifer R
JR
Harris
Department of Biological Psychology,VU University Amsterdam,Amsterdam,The Netherlands.
Gonneke
G
Willemsen
HealthTwiSt GmbH,Berlin,Germany.
Andreas
A
Busjahn
Department of Epidemiology,School of Public Health,University of Washington,Seattle,WA,USA.
Jack H
JH
Goldberg
Department of Public Health Sciences,Karolinska Institutet,Stockholm,Sweden.
Finn
F
Rasmussen
Department of Education,Mokpo National University,Jeonnam,South Korea.
Yoon-Mi
YM
Hur
Department of Biological Psychology,VU University Amsterdam,Amsterdam,The Netherlands.
Dorret I
DI
Boomsma
Section on Metabolic Genetics,Novo Nordisk Foundation Centre for Basic Metabolic Research,Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences,University of Copenhagen,Copenhagen,Denmark.
Thorkild I A
TI
Sørensen
Department of Public Health,University of Helsinki,Helsinki,Finland.
Jaakko
J
Kaprio
Department of Social Research,University of Helsinki,Helsinki,Finland.
Karri
K
Silventoinen
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001827:Body Height; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D016208:Databases, Factual; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014429:Twins, Dizygotic; D014430:Twins, Monozygotic; D055815:Young Adult
BMI; height; twins; zygosity differences