Jun Liang1, Yuting Sun2, Xuekui Liu3, Yan Zhu2, Ying Pei4, Yu Wang3, Qinqin Qiu2, Manqing Yang3, Lu Qi5. 1. 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. 2. Xuzhou Medical College, Jiangsu 221000, China. 3. 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. 4. School of Medicine, Southeast University, Jiangsu 210009, China. 5. 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.
Abstract
AIMS: 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. METHODS: 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. RESULTS: 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. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that genetic predisposition to obesity may affect beta cell function in Chinese; and body fat distribution may modify the genetic effects.
AIMS: 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. METHODS: 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. RESULTS: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. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that genetic predisposition to obesity may affect beta cell function in Chinese; and body fat distribution may modify the genetic effects.