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BMC Medical Genetics
Published in: BMC Medical Genetics 1/2015

Open Access 01-12-2015 | Research article

Sex-specific genetic effects in physical activity: results from a quantitative genetic analysis

Authors: Vincent P. Diego, Raquel Nichele de Chaves, John Blangero, Michele Caroline de Souza, Daniel Santos, Thayse Natacha Gomes, Fernanda Karina dos Santos, Rui Garganta, Peter T. Katzmarzyk, José AR Maia

Published in: BMC Medical Genetics | Issue 1/2015

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Abstract

Background

The objective of this study is to present a model to estimate sex-specific genetic effects on physical activity (PA) levels and sedentary behaviour (SB) using three generation families.

Methods

The sample consisted of 100 families covering three generations from Portugal. PA and SB were assessed via the International Physical Activity Questionnaire short form (IPAQ-SF). Sex-specific effects were assessed by genotype-by-sex interaction (GSI) models and sex-specific heritabilities. GSI effects and heterogeneity were tested in the residual environmental variance. SPSS 17 and SOLAR v. 4.1 were used in all computations.

Results

The genetic component for PA and SB domains varied from low to moderate (11 % to 46 %), when analyzing both genders combined. We found GSI effects for vigorous PA (p = 0.02) and time spent watching television (WT) (p < 0.001) that showed significantly higher additive genetic variance estimates in males. The heterogeneity in the residual environmental variance was significant for moderate PA (p = 0.02), vigorous PA (p = 0.006) and total PA (p = 0.001). Sex-specific heritability estimates were significantly higher in males only for WT, with a male-to-female difference in heritability of 42.5 (95 % confidence interval: 6.4, 70.4).

Conclusions

Low to moderate genetic effects on PA and SB traits were found. Results from the GSI model show that there are sex-specific effects in two phenotypes, VPA and WT with a stronger genetic influence in males.
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Metadata
Title
Sex-specific genetic effects in physical activity: results from a quantitative genetic analysis
Authors
Vincent P. Diego
Raquel Nichele de Chaves
John Blangero
Michele Caroline de Souza
Daniel Santos
Thayse Natacha Gomes
Fernanda Karina dos Santos
Rui Garganta
Peter T. Katzmarzyk
José AR Maia
Publication date
01-12-2015
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
BMC Medical Genetics / Issue 1/2015
Electronic ISSN: 1471-2350
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12881-015-0207-9

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