Abstract

The prevalence of obesity has been increasing alarmingly throughout the world and causes a multitude of comorbid conditions such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer. The importance of genetic factors in determining susceptibility to obesity, in concert with environmental effects, has been well established. It is believed that many susceptibility genes may predispose to the common form of obesity, whereas the contribution of each gene is likely to be moderate. However, only a limited number of candidate genes for obesity were identified so far. Along with a multidisciplinary group of colleagues from Harvard University, Dr. Zhang is implementing a study to identify genetic factors of obesity and verify initial positive findings from GWAS of genetic variants that may determine abdominal adiposity in independent populations and to further examine the effect of gene-environment interactions. In the past year, several significant genetic factors were identified.

  Funding Agency

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health & Human Development (NICHD)
Type
Investigator-Initiated Intramural Research Projects (ZIA)
Project #
1ZIAHD008888-03
Application #
8351245
Study Section
Project Start
Project End
Budget Start
Budget End
Support Year
3
Fiscal Year
2011
Total Cost
$50,000
Indirect Cost

  Institution

Name
Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health & Human Development
Department
Type
DUNS #
City
State
Country
Zip Code

  Publications

Yeung, E H; Zhang, C; Albert, P S et al. (2013) Adiposity and sex hormones across the menstrual cycle: the BioCycle Study. Int J Obes (Lond) 37:237-43
Wang, Lu; Song, Yiqing; Manson, Joann E et al. (2012) Circulating 25-hydroxy-vitamin D and risk of cardiovascular disease: a meta-analysis of prospective studies. Circ Cardiovasc Qual Outcomes 5:819-29
Qi, Qibin; Workalemahu, Tsegaselassie; Zhang, Cuilin et al. (2012) Genetic variants, plasma lipoprotein(a) levels, and risk of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality among two prospective cohorts of type 2 diabetes. Eur Heart J 33:325-34
Zhang, Xiaomin; Qi, Qibin; Zhang, Cuilin et al. (2012) FTO genotype and 2-year change in body composition and fat distribution in response to weight-loss diets: the POUNDS LOST Trial. Diabetes 61:3005-11
Zhang, Cuilin; Ning, Yi (2011) Effect of dietary and lifestyle factors on the risk of gestational diabetes: review of epidemiologic evidence. Am J Clin Nutr 94:1975S-1979S
Lindgren, Cecilia M; Heid, Iris M; Randall, Joshua C et al. (2009) Genome-wide association scan meta-analysis identifies three Loci influencing adiposity and fat distribution. PLoS Genet 5:e1000508
Cornelis, Marilyn C; Qi, Lu; Zhang, Cuilin et al. (2009) Joint effects of common genetic variants on the risk for type 2 diabetes in U.S. men and women of European ancestry. Ann Intern Med 150:541-50
Qi, Lu; Cornelis, Marilyn C; Zhang, Cuilin et al. (2009) Genetic predisposition, Western dietary pattern, and the risk of type 2 diabetes in men. Am J Clin Nutr 89:1453-8
Zhang, Cuilin; Qiu, Chunfang; Hu, Frank B et al. (2008) Maternal plasma 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentrations and the risk for gestational diabetes mellitus. PLoS One 3:e3753
Heidemann, Christin; Sun, Qi; van Dam, Rob M et al. (2008) Total and high-molecular-weight adiponectin and resistin in relation to the risk for type 2 diabetes in women. Ann Intern Med 149:307-16

Showing the most recent 10 out of 11 publications