Elucidating pathways to pediatric obesity: a study evaluating obesity polygenic risk scores related to appetitive traits in children
An erratum to this article was published (Int J Obes (Lond), Oct 2025 ↗)
Authors' conclusion
Genetic obesity risk significantly predicted appetitive traits, which partially mediated the association between genetic obesity risk and BMI in children. These findings build a clearer picture of pathways leading to pediatric obesity.
Study context
- Population
- Unrelated children aged 9–12 years236 genotyped QC-passed
- Participants
- 248 children
- Outcome
- Association of obesity PRSs with appetitive traits (parent-completed Child Eating Behavior Questionnaire; obesogenic appetite score), by linear regression
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Obesogenic appetite score by PRS
Adjusted increase in obesogenic appetite score per SD increase in 266 SNP pediatric polygenic risk scores (PRS)
2.1%
95% CI 0.6%, 3.7%p = 0.006
Further findings
Appetitive traits and body mass index (BMI); PRSs and BMI
- Positive associations between obesogenic appetitive traits and BMI and between all four PRSs and BMI
Mediation of PRS–BMI association by obesogenic appetite score
- Share of 266 SNP pediatric PRS–BMI association explained by obesogenic appetite score
- 21.3%
- Significant partial mediation for PRSs associated with appetite score
Original publication
Elucidating pathways to pediatric obesity: a study evaluating obesity polygenic risk scores related to appetitive traits in children. Int J Obes (Lond). Published 22 September 2023. doi:10.
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →