Interaction between Genetic Predisposition to Adiposity and Dietary Protein in Relation to Subsequent Change in Body Weight and Waist Circumference

Background

Genetic predisposition to adiposity may interact with dietary protein in relation to changes of anthropometry.

Objective

To investigate the interaction between genetic predisposition to higher body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC) or waist-hip ratio adjusted for BMI (WHR_BMI) and dietary protein in relation to subsequent change in body weight (ΔBW) or change in WC (ΔWC).

Design

Three different Danish cohorts were used. In total 7,054 individuals constituted the study population with information on diet, 50 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with BMI, WC or WHR_BMI, as well as potential confounders. Mean follow-up time was ∼5 years. Four genetic predisposition-scores were based on the SNPs; a complete-score including all selected adiposity- associated SNPs, and three scores including BMI, WC or WHR_BMI associated polymorphisms, respectively. The association between protein intake and ΔBW or ΔWC were examined and interactions between SNP-score and protein were investigated. Analyses were based on linear regressions using macronutrient substitution models and meta-analyses.

Results

When protein replaced carbohydrate, meta-analyses showed no associations with ΔBW (41.0 gram/y/5 energy% protein, [95% CI: −32.3; 114.3]) or ΔWC (<−0.1 mm/y/5 energy % protein, [−1.1; 1.1]). Similarly, there were no interactions for any SNP-scores and protein for either ΔBW (complete SNP-score: 1.8 gram/y/5 energy% protein/risk allele, [−7.0; 10.6]) or ΔWC (complete SNP-score: <0.1 mm/y/5 energy% protein/risk allele, [−0.1; 0.1]). Similar results were seen when protein replaced fat.

Conclusion

This study indicates that the genetic predisposition to general and abdominal adiposity, assessed by gene-scores, does not seem to modulate the influence of dietary protein on ΔBW or ΔWC.