Genetic Regulation of Growth in Height and Weight from 3 to 12 Years of Age: A Longitudinal Study of Dutch Twin Children (original) (raw)

2007, Twin Research and Human Genetics

Human growth is a complex and poorly understood process. We studied the effect of genetic and environmental factors on height and body mass index (BMI, kg/m2) based on maternal reports at 3, 4, 5, 7, 10 and 12 years of age in a large longitudinal cohort of Dutch twins (7755 complete twin pairs at age 3). Several multivariate variance component models for twins were fitted to the data using the Mx statistical package. The first-born twin was taller until age 10 and heavier until age 12 than the second-born co-twin. Heritability estimates were high for height (a2= .58–.91) and BMI (a2= .31–.82), but common and unshared environmental factors were also important. The phenotypic correlations across the ages for height and BMI were mainly explained by correlated additive genetic factors (ra= .77–.96 for height and .43–.92 for BMI), but common (rc= .40–.84 and .09–.78, respectively) and specific environmental correlations (re= .50–.81 and .42–.80, respectively) were also significant. Addit...