Heupink, L. F. (2018) Doomed from Birth? The associations of birthweight to obesity development in later life by looking for the importance of inherited and environmental factors among German twins. Pre-master thesis.
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Abstract
Globally obesity affects over 650 million individuals. The mechanism underlying obesity is complex and no consensus on its workings prevails. Birthweight, genetic and environmental factors all have been theorized to influence obesity development. The aim of this study is to tests whether an association between birthweight and obesity in later life exists, after which the importance of genetics and social environment are determined. Data from the TwinLife project is used. The dependent variable is BMI, transformed to a z-score, with the main predictor birthweight. Further, in the regression sex, mothers’ age at birth and mothers’ education are controlled. Birthweight is positively associated with BMI when treating twins as individuals. Stratification shows when twins birthweight >2500 grams the association is significant. Within twin pair X-values are mostly insignificant. In dizygotic twins the X-value is significant, concluding that genetics and in-utero environments play a role in the association of birthweight and BMI.
| Item Type: | Thesis (Pre-master) |
|---|---|
| Degree programme: | Population Studies |
| Supervisor: | Vogt, T. C. |
| Date Deposited: | 23 Apr 2020 05:37 |
| Last Modified: | 23 Apr 2020 05:37 |
| URI: | https://frw.studenttheses.ub.rug.nl/id/eprint/2295 |
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