Genetic predisposition to obesity is associated with insulin secretion in Chinese adults: The Cardiometabolic Risk in Chinese (CRC) study.
The etiological role of obesity in determining diabetes risk among Asians may be different from that among Caucasians. The current study aimed to investigate the association between genetic predisposition to obesity and measures of insulin secretion and resistance in a large Chinese cohort.



Study samples were from a community-based health examination survey in central China. A total of 2058 subjects with available biomarkers levels were included in the present study. A genetic risk score (GRS) of obesity was derived on the basis of thirteen Asian-specific body mass index (BMI)-associated variants.



High obesity GRS was significantly associated with increased homeostasis model assessment (HOMA)-B score (β=7.309; P=0.001) but not related to measures of insulin resistance. Adjustment for age, sex, BMI, and levels of lipids did not appreciably change the results. In addition, we found significant interactions between the obesity GRS and measures of body fat distribution including waist circumference (WC; P for interaction=0.004) and neck circumference (NC; P for interaction=0.014) on HOMA-B score.



Our results suggest that genetic predisposition to obesity may affect beta cell function in Chinese; and body fat distribution may modify the genetic effects.
Department of Endocrinology of Xuzhou Central Hospital, Xuzhou Institute of Medical Sciences, Xuzhou Institute of Diabetes, Jiangsu 221009, China; Xuzhou Clinical School of Xuzhou Medical College, Xuzhou Central Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Southeast University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221009, China. Electronic address: mwlj521@163.com.
Jun
J
Liang
Xuzhou Medical College, Jiangsu 221000, China.
Yuting
Y
Sun
Department of Endocrinology of Xuzhou Central Hospital, Xuzhou Institute of Medical Sciences, Xuzhou Institute of Diabetes, Jiangsu 221009, China; Xuzhou Clinical School of Xuzhou Medical College, Xuzhou Central Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Southeast University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221009, China.
Xuekui
X
Liu
Xuzhou Medical College, Jiangsu 221000, China.
Yan
Y
Zhu
School of Medicine, Southeast University, Jiangsu 210009, China.
Ying
Y
Pei
Department of Endocrinology of Xuzhou Central Hospital, Xuzhou Institute of Medical Sciences, Xuzhou Institute of Diabetes, Jiangsu 221009, China; Xuzhou Clinical School of Xuzhou Medical College, Xuzhou Central Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Southeast University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221009, China.
Yu
Y
Wang
Xuzhou Medical College, Jiangsu 221000, China.
Qinqin
Q
Qiu
Department of Endocrinology of Xuzhou Central Hospital, Xuzhou Institute of Medical Sciences, Xuzhou Institute of Diabetes, Jiangsu 221009, China; Xuzhou Clinical School of Xuzhou Medical College, Xuzhou Central Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Southeast University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221009, China.
Manqing
M
Yang
Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA 70118, United States; Department of Nutrition, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, United States. Electronic address: lqi1@tulane.edu.
Lu
L
Qi
D050154:Adiposity; D000328:Adult; D044466:Asian People; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002681:China; D005260:Female; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000378:metabolism*; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D000078790:Insulin Secretion; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000208:ethnology / Q000235:genetics*; D055105:Waist Circumference
D007328:Insulin
BMI; Genetic risk score; HOMA-B; Modification effects; Obesity-associated genetic variants