The mechanisms involved in associations between birth weight within the normal range and adult-onset diseases remain unclear. Horikoshi et al. carried out a genome-wide association meta-analysis and follow-up study of birth weight in up to 69,308 individuals. They identified seven loci associated with birth weight, which accounted for a proportion of variance in birth weight similar to that reported for maternal smoking. Two of these loci are associated with type 2 diabetes mellitus (ADCY5 and CDKAL1), one with adult blood pressure (ADRB1) and two with adult height (HMGA2 and LCORL).
ORIGINAL RESEARCH PAPER
Horikoshi, M. et al. New loci associated with birth weight identify genetic links between intrauterine growth and adult height and metabolism. Nat. Genet. 45, 76–82 (2012)
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Genetic links between birth weight and adult-onset disease. Nat Rev Endocrinol 9, 132 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1038/nrendo.2012.248
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nrendo.2012.248
