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Approaches exploiting trait distribution extremes may be used to identify loci associated with common traits, but it is unknown whether these loci are generalizable to the broader population. In a genome-wide search for loci associated with the upper versus the lower 5th percentiles of body mass index, height and waist-to-hip ratio, as well as clinical classes of obesity, including up to 263,407 individuals of European ancestry, we identified 4 new loci (IGFBP4, H6PD, RSRC1 and PPP2R2A) influencing height detected in the distribution tails and 7 new loci (HNF4G, RPTOR, GNAT2, MRPS33P4, ADCY9, HS6ST3 and ZZZ3) for clinical classes of obesity. Further, we find a large overlap in genetic structure and the distribution of variants between traits based on extremes and the general population and little etiological heterogeneity between obesity subgroups.

Original publication

DOI

10.1038/ng.2606

Type

Journal article

Journal

Nat Genet

Publication Date

05/2013

Volume

45

Pages

501 - 512

Keywords

Anthropometry, Body Height, Body Mass Index, Case-Control Studies, Genetic Predisposition to Disease, Genome-Wide Association Study, Genotype, Humans, Meta-Analysis as Topic, Obesity, Phenotype, Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide, Quantitative Trait Loci, Waist-Hip Ratio, Whites