Note to users. If you're seeing this message, it means that your browser cannot find this page's style/presentation instructions -- or possibly that you are using a browser that does not support current Web standards. Find out more about why this message is appearing, and what you can do to make your experience of our site the best it can be.
A Common Variant in the FTO Gene Is Associated with Body Mass Index and Predisposes to Childhood and Adult Obesity
Timothy M. Frayling,1,2*Nicholas J. Timpson,3,4*Michael N. Weedon,1,2*Eleftheria Zeggini,3,5*Rachel M. Freathy,1,2Cecilia M. Lindgren,3,5John R. B. Perry,1,2Katherine S. Elliott,3Hana Lango,1,2Nigel W. Rayner,3,5Beverley Shields,2Lorna W. Harries,2Jeffrey C. Barrett,3Sian Ellard,2,6Christopher J. Groves,5Bridget Knight,2Ann-Marie Patch,2,6Andrew R. Ness,7Shah Ebrahim,8Debbie A. Lawlor,9Susan M. Ring,9Yoav Ben-Shlomo,9Marjo-Riitta Jarvelin,10,11Ulla Sovio,10,11Amanda J. Bennett,5David Melzer,1,12Luigi Ferrucci,13Ruth J. F. Loos,14Inês Barroso,15Nicholas J. Wareham,14Fredrik Karpe,5Katharine R. Owen,5Lon R. Cardon,3Mark Walker,16Graham A. Hitman,17Colin N. A. Palmer,18Alex S. F. Doney,19Andrew D. Morris,19George Davey Smith,4 The Wellcome Trust Case Control ConsortiumAndrew T. Hattersley,1,2Mark I. McCarthy3,5
Obesity is a serious international health problem that increasesthe risk of several common diseases. The genetic factors predisposingto obesity are poorly understood. A genome-wide search for type2 diabetes–susceptibility genes identified a common variantin the FTO (fat mass and obesity associated) gene that predisposesto diabetes through an effect on body mass index (BMI). An additiveassociation of the variant with BMI was replicated in 13 cohortswith 38,759 participants. The 16% of adults who are homozygousfor the risk allele weighed about 3 kilograms more and had 1.67-foldincreased odds of obesity when compared with those not inheritinga risk allele. This association was observed from age 7 yearsupward and reflects a specific increase in fat mass.
1 Genetics of Complex Traits, Institute of Biomedical and Clinical Science, Peninsula Medical School, Magdalen Road, Exeter, UK. 2 Diabetes Genetics, Institute of Biomedical and Clinical Science, Peninsula Medical School, Barrack Road, Exeter, UK. 3 Wellcome Trust Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, Roosevelt Drive, Oxford, UK. 4 MRC Centre for Causal Analyses in Translational Epidemiology, Bristol University, Canynge Hall, Whiteladies Road, Bristol, UK. 5 Oxford Centre for Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism, University of Oxford, Churchill Hospital, Oxford, UK. 6 Molecular Genetics Laboratory, Royal Devon and Exeter National Health Service Foundation Trust, Old Pathology Building, Barrack Road, Exeter, UK. 7 Department of Oral and Dental Science, University of Bristol Dental School, Lower Maudlin Street, Bristol, UK. 8 Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK. 9 Department of Social Medicine, University of Bristol, Canynge Hall, Whiteladies Road, Bristol, UK. 10 Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Imperial College London, Norfolk Place, London W2 1PG, UK. 11 Department of Public Health Science and General Practice, Fin-90014, University of Oulu, Finland. 12 Epidemiology and Public Health Group, Peninsula Medical School, Barrack Road, Exeter, UK. 13 Longitudinal Studies Section, Clinical Research Branch, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD, USA. 14 Medical Research Council Epidemiology Unit, Strangeways Research Laboratories, Cambridge, UK. 15 Metabolic Disease Group, Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Hinxton, Cambridge, UK. 16 Diabetes Research Group, School of Clinical Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, Framlington Place, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK. 17 Centre for Diabetes and Metabolic Medicine, Barts and The London, Royal London Hospital, Whitechapel, London, UK. 18 Population Pharmacogenetics Group, Biomedical Research Centre, Ninewells Hospital and Medical School, University of Dundee, Dundee, UK. 19 Diabetes Research Group, Division of Medicine and Therapeutics, Ninewells Hospital and Medical School, University of Dundee, Dundee, UK.
* These authors contributed equally to this work.
Membership of the Wellcome Trust Case Control Consortium islisted in the Supporting Online Material.
These authors contributed equally to this work.
To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: Andrew.Hattersley{at}pms.ac.uk
Membership of the Wellcome Trust Case Control Consortium is listed in the Supporting Online Material. 
These authors contributed equally to this work. 
To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: 
