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Session: Personalizing Nutrition - Genetics and Dietary Pattern interactions (Poster Theater Flash Session 2)

(PTFS02-01-23) Common Risk FTO and TMEM18 Variants Haplotype Associates With Obesity Risk and Interact With Modifiable Lifestyle Factors in the Israeli Population

Saturday, July 22, 2023
2:35 PM – 2:39 PM ET
Location:  Fairfax

    Presenting Author(s)

  • RB

    Ruth Birk, PhD., R.D. (she/her/hers)

    Head of the Personalized Medicine and Nutrition Genetics Lab
    Faculty of Health Sciences, Ariel University, Israel
    Ariel, HaMerkaz, Israel

    Disclosure(s): No relevant financial relationship(s) with ineligible companies to disclose.

    • Co-Author(s)

  • DC

    Danyel Chermon, MSc., R.D.

    Faculty of Health Sciences, Ariel University, Israel

Disclosure(s):
Ruth Birk, PhD., R.D.: No relevant financial relationship(s) with ineligible companies to disclose.
Objectives: Genetic background is estimated to play >50% in common obesity etiology. FTO and TMEM18 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) are strongly associated with BMI, typically in European cohorts. This study aimed to investigate the association of common FTO rs9939609 and TMEM18 rs939583 haplotype with obesity in the Israeli population and to assess the interaction with modifiable lifestyle factors, specifically sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs), flavored water, and physical activity.

Methods: Israeli adults (>18 years old, n=3089) genotypes data for the FTO rs939583 (AA) and TMEM18 rs9939609 (TT) haplotype were analyzed. Lifestyle and nutrition habits were obtained using online questionnaires. Binary logistic regression models adjusted for age, sex, type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus were used to assess the association between haplotypes, obesity risk (body mass index (BMI) ≥ 30), and actionable lifestyle variables interaction.

Results: Haplotype carriers of the homozygous risk alleles of both FTO (AA) and TMEM18 (TT) had a 1.42-fold higher obesity risk than non-carriers (CI; 1.16-1.75; p< 0.001). The haplotype also interacted with SSBs and flavored water to significantly elevate obesity risk (OR=3.03, CI: 1.39-6.62, p=0.005 and OR=3.5, CI: 1.54-7.96, p=0.003, respectively), while the risk was lower among active carriers (OR=1.3, CI: 0.99-1.73, p=0.05) and higher among inactive carriers (OR=1.67, CI: 1.2-2.33, p=0.003).

Conclusions: Our study highlights the significant association of FTO and TMEM18 haplotype with obesity risk in the Israeli population. Precision adjustment of modifiable lifestyle factors such as SSBs, flavored water, and physical activity in managing and treating of obesity for high-risk carriers is warranted. These findings may contribute to personalized prevention and treatment strategies for obesity.

Funding Sources: This study did not receive any specific grant.