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| PMID |
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| TITLE |
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| Genetic and environmental influences on educational disparities in adult weight change: an individual-based pooled analysis of 11 twin cohorts. |
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| ABSTRACT |
|
| INTRODUCTION |
NlmCategory: BACKGROUND |
| Educational attainment (EA) is negatively associated with body mass index (BMI), but less is known about the association between EA and adult BMI change. We analysed the role of genetic and environmental factors in the associations between EA and BMI trajectory components over adulthood. |
| DATA AND METHODS |
NlmCategory: METHODS |
| Educational attainment (EA) is negatively associated with body mass index (BMI), but less is known about the association between EA and adult BMI change. We analysed the role of genetic and environmental factors in the associations between EA and BMI trajectory components over adulthood. Pooled data from 59,490 twins aged 31-99 years (49% women) across 11 cohorts with EA and repeated measures of BMI were used. BMI trajectory components (baseline BMI and BMI change per decade) were estimated using linear mixed-effects (LME) and delta slope methods. EA was derived by regressing years of education on birth year and cohort. Associations between EA and BMI trajectories were evaluated with LME models in both cohort-specific and pooled data. Genetic and environmental contributions were evaluated using structural equation modelling. |
| RESULTS |
NlmCategory: RESULTS |
| Educational attainment (EA) is negatively associated with body mass index (BMI), but less is known about the association between EA and adult BMI change. We analysed the role of genetic and environmental factors in the associations between EA and BMI trajectory components over adulthood. Pooled data from 59,490 twins aged 31-99 years (49% women) across 11 cohorts with EA and repeated measures of BMI were used. BMI trajectory components (baseline BMI and BMI change per decade) were estimated using linear mixed-effects (LME) and delta slope methods. EA was derived by regressing years of education on birth year and cohort. Associations between EA and BMI trajectories were evaluated with LME models in both cohort-specific and pooled data. Genetic and environmental contributions were evaluated using structural equation modelling. EA was more strongly negatively associated with baseline BMI and BMI change (mean of 1.31 and 1.32 kg/m per decade in men and women, respectively) in women (β = -0.14 kg/m², 95% CI: -0.15 to -0.12; β = -0.02 kg/m²/decade, 95% CI: -0.03 to -0.01, respectively) than in men (β = -0.07, 95% CI: -0.08 to -0.06; β = -0.01, 95% CI: -0.02 to -0.001, respectively). The associations between baseline BMI and EA were explained by genetic factors in men (r = -0.10) and by both genetic (r = -0.17) and unique environmental factors (r = -0.07) in women. For BMI change, the associations with EA were explained by genetic factors (r = -0.04 in men; -0.06 in women). |
| CONCLUSION |
NlmCategory: CONCLUSIONS |
| Educational attainment (EA) is negatively associated with body mass index (BMI), but less is known about the association between EA and adult BMI change. We analysed the role of genetic and environmental factors in the associations between EA and BMI trajectory components over adulthood. Pooled data from 59,490 twins aged 31-99 years (49% women) across 11 cohorts with EA and repeated measures of BMI were used. BMI trajectory components (baseline BMI and BMI change per decade) were estimated using linear mixed-effects (LME) and delta slope methods. EA was derived by regressing years of education on birth year and cohort. Associations between EA and BMI trajectories were evaluated with LME models in both cohort-specific and pooled data. Genetic and environmental contributions were evaluated using structural equation modelling. EA was more strongly negatively associated with baseline BMI and BMI change (mean of 1.31 and 1.32 kg/m per decade in men and women, respectively) in women (β = -0.14 kg/m², 95% CI: -0.15 to -0.12; β = -0.02 kg/m²/decade, 95% CI: -0.03 to -0.01, respectively) than in men (β = -0.07, 95% CI: -0.08 to -0.06; β = -0.01, 95% CI: -0.02 to -0.001, respectively). The associations between baseline BMI and EA were explained by genetic factors in men (r = -0.10) and by both genetic (r = -0.17) and unique environmental factors (r = -0.07) in women. For BMI change, the associations with EA were explained by genetic factors (r = -0.04 in men; -0.06 in women). Individuals with higher EA tend to have lower baseline BMI and slower BMI increases across adulthood. These associations are primarily genetically mediated. |
| © 2026. The Author(s). |
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| DATE PUBLISHED |
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| HISTORY |
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| PUBSTATUS |
PUBSTATUSDATE |
| received |
2025/12/27 |
| accepted |
2026/05/22 |
| revised |
2026/04/21 |
| medline |
2026/06/13 00:39 |
| pubmed |
2026/06/13 00:39 |
| entrez |
2026/06/12 23:20 |
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| AUTHORS |
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| NAME |
COLLECTIVENAME |
LASTNAME |
FORENAME |
INITIALS |
AFFILIATION |
AFFILIATIONINFO |
| Obeso A |
|
Obeso |
Alvaro |
A |
|
Department of Genetics, Physical Anthropology and Animal Physiology, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Bilbao, Spain. alvaro.obeso@helsinki.fi. |
| Drouard G |
|
Drouard |
Gabin |
G |
|
Institute for Molecular Medicine Finland, HiLIFE, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland. |
| Jelenkovic A |
|
Jelenkovic |
Aline |
A |
|
Department of Genetics, Physical Anthropology and Animal Physiology, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Bilbao, Spain. |
| Medda E |
|
Medda |
Emanuela |
E |
|
Centre for Behavioural Sciences and Mental Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy. |
| Fagnani C |
|
Fagnani |
Corrado |
C |
|
Centre for Behavioural Sciences and Mental Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy. |
| Toccaceli V |
|
Toccaceli |
Virgilia |
V |
|
Centre for Behavioural Sciences and Mental Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy. |
| Latvala A |
|
Latvala |
Antti |
A |
|
Institute of Criminology and Legal Policy, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland. |
| Aaltonen S |
|
Aaltonen |
Sari |
S |
|
Institute for Molecular Medicine Finland, HiLIFE, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland. |
| Medland SE |
|
Medland |
Sarah E |
SE |
|
QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, Australia. |
| Gordon SD |
|
Gordon |
Scott D |
SD |
|
QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, Australia. |
| Lee J |
|
Lee |
Jooyeon |
J |
|
Institute of Health & Environmental, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea. |
| Lee SJ |
|
Lee |
Soo Ji |
SJ |
|
Institute of Health & Environmental, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea. |
| Sung J |
|
Sung |
Joohon |
J |
|
Department of Epidemiology, Seoul National University School of Public Health, Seoul, Korea. |
| Pyun H |
|
Pyun |
Hyojin |
H |
|
Department of Epidemiology, Seoul National University School of Public Health, Seoul, Korea. |
| Duncan GE |
|
Duncan |
Glen E |
GE |
|
Washington State Twin Registry, Washington State University-Health Sciences Spokane, Spokane, WA, USA. |
| Buchwald D |
|
Buchwald |
Dedra |
D |
|
Washington State Twin Registry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA. |
| Ordoñana JR |
|
Ordoñana |
Juan R |
JR |
|
Murcia Institute for Biomedical Research (IMIB-Arrixaca), Murcia, Spain. |
| Sánchez-Romera JF |
|
Sánchez-Romera |
Juan F |
JF |
|
Murcia Institute for Biomedical Research (IMIB-Arrixaca), Murcia, Spain. |
| Carrillo E |
|
Carrillo |
Eduvigis |
E |
|
Murcia Institute for Biomedical Research (IMIB-Arrixaca), Murcia, Spain. |
| Franz CE |
|
Franz |
Carol E |
CE |
|
Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA. |
| Kremen WS |
|
Kremen |
William S |
WS |
|
Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA. |
| Corley RP |
|
Corley |
Robin P |
RP |
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Institute for Behavioral Genetics, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, USA. |
| Huibregtse BM |
|
Huibregtse |
Brooke M |
BM |
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Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, USA. |
| Magnusson PK |
|
Magnusson |
Patrik Ke |
PK |
|
Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden. |
| Karlsson IK |
|
Karlsson |
Ida K |
IK |
|
Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden. |
| Dahl Aslan AK |
|
Dahl Aslan |
Anna K |
AK |
|
School of Health Sciences, University of Skövde, Skövde, Sweden. |
| Lyons MJ |
|
Lyons |
Michael J |
MJ |
|
Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA. |
| Bartels M |
|
Bartels |
Meike |
M |
|
Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Amsterdam, the Netherlands. |
| Ligthart L |
|
Ligthart |
Lannie |
L |
|
Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Amsterdam, the Netherlands. |
| de Geus EJC |
|
de Geus |
Eco J C |
EJC |
|
Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Amsterdam, the Netherlands. |
| Gatz M |
|
Gatz |
Margaret |
M |
|
Center for Economic and Social Research, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA. |
| Butler DA |
|
Butler |
David A |
DA |
|
Health and Medicine Division, The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine, Washington, DC, USA. |
| Pool R |
|
Pool |
René |
R |
|
Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Amsterdam, the Netherlands. |
| Eriksson A |
|
Eriksson |
Anders |
A |
|
cGEM, Institute of Genomics, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia. |
| Bruins S |
|
Bruins |
Susanne |
S |
|
Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Amsterdam, the Netherlands. |
| Martin NG |
|
Martin |
Nicholas G |
NG |
|
QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, Australia. |
| Boomsma DI |
|
Boomsma |
Dorret I |
DI |
|
Complex Trait Genetics, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. |
| Kaprio J |
|
Kaprio |
Jaakko |
J |
|
Institute for Molecular Medicine Finland, HiLIFE, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland. |
| Silventoinen K |
|
Silventoinen |
Karri |
K |
|
Helsinki Institute for Demography and Population Health, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland. |
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| INVESTIGATORS |
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| JOURNAL |
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| VOLUME: |
| ISSUE: |
| TITLE: International journal of obesity (2005) |
| ISOABBREVIATION: Int J Obes (Lond) |
| YEAR: 2026 |
| MONTH: Jun |
| DAY: 12 |
| MEDLINEDATE: |
| SEASON: |
| CITEDMEDIUM: Internet |
| ISSN: 1476-5497 |
| ISSNTYPE: Electronic |
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| MEDLINE JOURNAL |
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| MEDLINETA: Int J Obes (Lond) |
| COUNTRY: England |
| ISSNLINKING: 0307-0565 |
| NLMUNIQUEID: 101256108 |
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| PUBLICATION TYPE |
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| PUBLICATIONTYPE TEXT |
| Journal Article |
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| COMMENTS AND CORRECTIONS |
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REFPMID |
NOTE |
| UpdateOf |
medRxiv. 2025 Nov 19:2025.11.18.25340475. doi: 10.1101/2025.11.18.25340475. |
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