Introduction: We present the first longitudinal study in Poland analysing the association between fat mass and obesity-associated gene (FTO) polymorphism and changes in anthropometric parameters.
Material and methods: 1120 participants of the Prospective Urban Rural (PURE) study in Poland (mean age 53.7 years) were genotyped for FTO gene polymorphism (rs9939609, rs9930506, rs1421085, rs1121980). Anthropometric parameters were measured at three time points (baseline, after three years, and after six years of observation).
Results: The mean body mass index (BMI) in the study group was 28 kg/m². Overall, there was a significant increase in the mean weight, BMI, and waist size during the six years (p≈0). Although males initially weighed more than females (p = 0), over the whole six-year period women had a greater tendency to increase in weight (p = 0.068), BMI (p = 0.014), and waist size (p = 0.041). Subjects with at least one A allele at rs9939609 initially weighed more on average (77.5vs. 74.7 kg, p = 0.027) and had a greater waist size (92 vs. 89.5 cm, p = 0.025) than those with the TT genotype. The differences in baseline results were more expressed in males than in females. There is no association between the changes in anthropometric parameters over the whole study period of six years and the FTO gene.
Conclusions: FTO gene polymorphism is associated with anthropometric parameters in participants from the PURE study in Poland. However, there is no association between the presence of risk alleles and changes of anthropometric parameters over six years of observation.
Keywords: FTO gene; longitudinal study; obesity; polymorphism; weight gain.