Malek, A. J., Klimentidis, Y. C., Kell, K. P., & Fernández, J. R. (2013). Associations of the lactase persistence allele and lactose intake with body composition among multiethnic children. Genes & nutrition, 8(5).
Childhood obesity is a worldwide health concern with a multifaceted and sometimes confounding etiology. Dairy products have been implicated as both pro- and anti-obesogenic, perhaps due to the confounding relationship between dairy, lactose consumption, and potential genetic predisposition. We aimed to understand how lactase persistence influenced obesity-related traits by observing the relationships among lactose consumption, a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) near the lactase (LCT) gene and body composition parameters in a sample of multiethnic children (n = 296, 7-12 years old). We hypothesized that individuals with the lactase persistence (LP) allele of the LCT SNP (rs4988235) would exhibit a greater degree of adiposity and that this relationship would be mediated by lactose consumption. Body composition variables were measured using dual X-ray absorptiometry and a registered dietitian assessed dietary intake of lactose. Statistical models were adjusted for sex, age, pubertal stage, ethnic group, genetic admixture, socio-economic status, and total energy intake. Our findings indicate a positive, significant association between the LP allele and body mass index (p = 0.034), fat mass index (FMI) (p = 0.043), and waist circumference (p = 0.008), with associations being stronger in males than in females. Our results also reveal that lactose consumption is positively and nearly significantly associated with FMI.
Bhagwandin, C., Ashbeck, E. L., Whalen, M., Szajman, A., Truong, S. M., Wertheim, B. C., Klimentidis, Y. C., Ishido, S., Renquist, B. J., & Lybarger, L. P. (2018). The E3 ubiquitin ligase MARCH1 regulates glucose-tolerance and lipid storage in a sex-specific manner. PlosOne.
BIO5 Collaborators
Yann C Klimentidis, Lonnie P Lybarger
Vazquez, A. I., Klimentidis, Y. C., Dhurandhar, E. J., Veturi, Y. C., & Perez-Rodriguez, P. (2014). Assessment of Whole-Genome Regression for Type II Diabetes. PLoS One.
Lemas, D. J., Klimentidis, Y. C., Tiwari, H., Boyer, B., Wiener, H., & Fernandez, J. (2014). Polymorphisms in SCD and SREBF1 Interact with n-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acid Intake to Modify Genetic Associations with Obesity-Related Anthropometric and Metabolic Phenotypes in Yup’ik People. Journal of Lipid Research.
Klimentidis, Y. C., Going, S. B., Chen, Z., Lohman, T. G., & Bea, J. W. (2014). High genetic-risk individuals benefit less from resistance exercise intervention. International Journal of Obesity.
