Effects of gene-lifestyle interactions on obesity based on a multi-locus risk score: A cross-sectional analysis

• Published in: PloS one Vol. 18; no. 2; p. e0279169
• Main Authors: Nakamura, Sho, Fang, Xuemin, Saito, Yoshinobu, Narimatsu, Hiroto, Ota, Azusa, Ikezaki, Hiroaki, Shimanoe, Chisato, Tanaka, Keitaro, Kubo, Yoko, Tsukamoto, Mineko, Tamura, Takashi, Hishida, Asahi, Oze, Isao, Koyanagi, Yuriko N, Nakamura, Yohko, Kusakabe, Miho, Takezaki, Toshiro, Nishimoto, Daisaku, Suzuki, Sadao, Otani, Takahiro, Kuriyama, Nagato, Matsui, Daisuke, Kuriki, Kiyonori, Kadota, Aya, Nakamura, Yasuyuki, Arisawa, Kokichi, Katsuura-Kamano, Sakurako, Nakatochi, Masahiro, Momozawa, Yukihide, Kubo, Michiaki, Takeuchi, Kenji, Wakai, Kenji
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Public Library of Science 08-02-2023; Public Library of Science (PLoS)
• Subjects: Biology and Life Sciences; Body mass; Body Mass Index; Body size; Cancer; Carbohydrates; Cohort analysis; Cohort Studies; Cross-Sectional Studies; Diet; Dietary fiber; Dietary intake; Exercise; Fatty acids; Female; Food intake; Genes; Genetic aspects; Genetic Predisposition to Disease; Genetic research; Genomes; Genotype & phenotype; Health aspects; Health risk assessment; Humans; Life Style; Lifestyles; Loci; Medicine and Health Sciences; Nucleotides; Nutrigenomics; Nutrition; Nutrition research; Obesity; Obesity - genetics; Physical activity; Physical fitness; Physical training; Physiological aspects; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; Polyunsaturated fatty acids; Prevention; Quality control; Questionnaires; Risk Factors; Single nucleotide polymorphisms; Single-nucleotide polymorphism; Socioeconomic factors; Subgroups; Vitamin E; Japan
• ISSN: 1932-6203; 1932-6203
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0279169

The relationship between lifestyle and obesity is a major focus of research. Personalized nutrition, which utilizes evidence from nutrigenomics, such as gene-environment interactions, has been attracting attention in recent years. However, evidence for gene-environment interactions that can inform treatment strategies is lacking, despite some reported interactions involving dietary intake or physical activity. Utilizing gene-lifestyle interactions in practice could aid in optimizing interventions according to genetic risk.
This study aimed to elucidate the effects of gene-lifestyle interactions on body mass index (BMI). Cross-sectional data from the Japan Multi-Institutional Collaborative Cohort Study were used. Interactions between a multi-locus genetic risk score (GRS), calculated from 76 ancestry-specific single nucleotide polymorphisms, and nutritional intake or physical activity were assessed using a linear mixed-effect model.
The mean (standard deviation) BMI and GRS for all participants (n = 12,918) were 22.9 (3.0) kg/m2 and -0.07 (0.16), respectively. The correlation between GRS and BMI was r(12,916) = 0.13 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.11-0.15, P < 0.001). An interaction between GRS and saturated fatty acid intake was observed (β = -0.11, 95% CI -0.21 to -0.02). An interaction between GRS and n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids was also observed in the females with normal-weight subgroup (β = -0.12, 95% CI -0.22 to -0.03).
Our results provide evidence of an interaction effect between GRS and nutritional intake and physical activity. This gene-lifestyle interaction provides a basis for developing prevention or treatment interventions for obesity according to individual genetic predisposition.