Association of cord blood mitochondrial DNA heteroplasmy and copy number with childhood overweight or obesity
Authors' conclusion
Cord blood mtDNA heteroplasmy and copy number interactively influence the risk of childhood OWO, with associations varying by sex and age.
Study context
- Population
- Children enrolled at birth and followed longitudinally in the Boston Birth Cohort
- Participants
- 952 children
- Exposure
- Cord blood mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) heteroplasmy and copy number vs childhood body mass index (BMI) z score and OWO
- Outcome
- Childhood overweight or obesity (BMI ≥85th percentile for age and sex) and BMI z score (repeated measures)
Methodological detailslongitudinal, mixed-effects models
- Longitudinal
- Mixed-effects models
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
De novo functional region heteroplasmy and BMI z score / OWO
Girls: de novo functional region heteroplasmy and BMI z score, β
0.29 (0.01, 0.57) (95% CI)
Girls: de novo functional region heteroplasmy and OWO, RR
1.46 (1.07, 2.00) (95% CI)
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
BMI associations by age · aged 10-18 years
- BMI associations more evident in adolescent girls
mtDNA copy number z score and BMI by heteroplasmy status
- Negative association with BMI in children with overall or de novo functional region heteroplasmy; modest positive associations in those without specific heteroplasmy
- P for interaction < 0.05
Original publication
Association of cord blood mitochondrial DNA heteroplasmy and copy number with childhood overweight or obesity. Int J Obes (Lond). Published 14 April 2026. doi:10.
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