A genetic analysis of relative weight among 4,020 twin pairs, with an emphasis on sex effects

Health Psychol. 1994 Jul;13(4):362-5. doi: 10.1037//0278-6133.13.4.362.

Abstract

This study replicated previous findings showing a high heritability of obesity, as measured by body mass index (kg/m2), using a measure of relative weight that does not assume a constant regression of height on weight across different populations, and evaluated whether there are sex-limited genetic effects. Subjects were 4,020 adult twin pairs. Alternative causal structural equation models were fitted to variance-covariance matrices. The ADE model (additive genetic effects, dominant/nonadditive genetic effects, and unique environment) fit best. Allowing for sex-specific effects (common sex-limitation model) significantly improved the fit, X2(6) = 230.5, p < .001. The heritability of that portion of weight unrelated to height was large: .61 for men and .73 for women.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.
  • Twin Study

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Analysis of Variance
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Models, Genetic*
  • Obesity / epidemiology
  • Obesity / genetics*
  • Sex Factors
  • Twins / genetics*