DNA Traits · Body & performance
Body mass index association
Body mass index, a measure of weight in relation to height.
What the research found
In the cited research, the A allele at rs9939609 was associated with higher body mass index in the studied cohorts.
- TT
- Lower average
- AT
- Middle
- AA
- Higher average
What the study found
In the study, each copy went with body mass index about 0.4 kg/m² higher on average.
- Evidence
- Genome-wide association with independent replication
- Who was studied
- European-ancestry adult and childhood discovery and replication cohorts
How common each genotype is
| Region | TTLower average | ATMiddle | AAHigher average |
|---|---|---|---|
| All regions2,504 people | 46% | 41% | 14% |
| Africa661 people | 26% | 50% | 24% |
| The Americas347 people | 55% | 38% | 7% |
| East Asia504 people | 70% | 26% | 4% |
| Europe503 people | 37% | 43% | 20% |
| South Asia489 people | 50% | 42% | 8% |
Among the 2,504 people of the 1000 Genomes Project, in five world regions. These percentages describe groups of people, never anyone’s chance of having a trait.
Through time
How often the studied letter was read in ancient people, era by era, in the region chosen.
| Before farmingbefore 6500 BC | 41%45 of 109 copies read |
|---|---|
| First farmers6500 to 3000 BC | 36%373 of 1,038 copies read |
| Bronze Age3000 to 1200 BC | 32%314 of 991 copies read |
| Iron Age and Antiquity1200 BC to AD 600 | 36%584 of 1,628 copies read |
| Middle AgesAD 600 to 1500 | 37%608 of 1,637 copies read |
| Today1000 Genomes | 41%416 of 1,006 copies |
Neanderthal and Denisovan genomes
- Altai Neanderthal
- 2 copies
- Vindija Neanderthal
- 2 copies
- Chagyrskaya Neanderthal
- 2 copies
- Denisovan
- 2 copies
Neanderthals and Denisovans carried this letter too: it is the older of the two.
The marker
- Gene or region
- FTO region
- Marker
- rs9939609
- Location
- Chromosome 16 · GRCh37 53,820,527 · GRCh38 53,786,615
- Letters studied
- A and T, with A as the studied allele
A DNA Traits report reads this marker in your raw DNA file and shows which of the three genotypes is yours, with how common it is. It counts the copies of the studied allele; it does not measure the trait itself.
- Marker
- FTO region · rs9939609
- Location
- Chromosome 16 · GRCh37 53,820,527 · GRCh38 53,786,615
- Studied allele
- A
- Published statistic
- beta 0.10 SD per A allele (95% CI 0.08 to 0.12), P 2e-20 (population-based adults); with the type 2 diabetes case-control samples P 3e-35, N 30,081 (Results paragraph on the adult population-based studies; Table 1)
- 1000 Genomes Project phase 3, people with 0, 1 and 2 copies
- All regions 1144 / 1017 / 343 · Africa 169 / 331 / 161 · The Americas 190 / 132 / 25 · East Asia 353 / 132 / 19 · Europe 187 / 216 / 100 · South Asia 245 / 206 / 38
What it cannot tell you
BMI is based on weight and height and does not distinguish fat from muscle. This marker cannot tell you your BMI or your weight, is not a test for obesity, cannot predict weight-loss success and does not choose a diet, workout or treatment.
A Common Variant in the FTO Gene Is Associated with Body Mass Index and Predisposes to Childhood and Adult Obesity (Frayling et al., 2007)More in Body & performance
- Handgrip strength association
- Lean body mass association
- Adult height association
- Body fat percentage association
- Waist-to-hip ratio association in women
- Bone mineral density association
- Resting heart rate association
- Body mass index (MC4R)
- Adult height (GDF5)
- Adult height (ZBTB38)
- Adult height (HHIP)
- Adult height (LCORL)
- Waist-to-hip ratio in women (GRB14)
- Waist-to-hip ratio in women (ADAMTS9)
- Bone mineral density (WNT16)
- Bone mineral density (BMP4)
- Bone mineral density (CYP24A1)
- Handgrip strength (TGFA)
- Lean body mass (ADAMTSL3)
- Resting heart rate (GJA1)
See your own two letters.
Upload the raw DNA file you already have. Your report reads this marker and every other card studied for you, each with its evidence and its limits.