Interactions between a polygenic risk score for plasma docosahexaenoic fatty acid concentration, eating behaviour, and body composition in children

Background The relationship between eating behaviour and current body weight has been described. However little is known about the effect of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) in this relationship. Genetic contribution to a certain condition is derived from a combination of small effects from many genetic variants, and polygenic risk scores (PRS) summarize these effects. A PRS based on a GWAS for plasma docosahexaenoic fatty acid (DHA) has been created, based on SNPs from 9 genes. Objective To analyze the interaction between the PRS for plasma DHA concentration, body composition and eating behaviour (using the Children Eating Behaviour Questionnaire) in childhood. Subjects/Methods We analyzed a subsample of children from the Maternal, Adversity, Vulnerability and Neurodevelopment (MAVAN) cohort with PRS and measurements of eating behaviour performed at 4 years of age ( n = 210), 6 y ( n = 177), and body fat determined by bioelectric impedance at 4 y and 6 y or by air displacement plethysmography and dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry at 8 y ( n = 42 and n = 37). PRS was based on the GWAS from Lemaitre et al. 2011 ( p threshold = p < 5*10 -6 ), and a median split created low and high PRS groups (high PRS = higher DHA level). Results In ALSPAC children, we observed an association between PRS and plasma DHA concentration (β = 0.100, p < 0.01) and proportion (β = 0.107, p < 0.01). In MAVAN, there were interactions between PRS and body fat on pro-intake scores in childhood, in which low PRS and higher body fat were linked to altered behaviour. There were also interactions between PRS and pro-intake scores early in childhood on body fat later in childhood, suggesting that the genetic profile and eating behaviour influence the development of adiposity at later ages. Conclusions A lower PRS (lower plasma PUFA) can be a risk factor for developing higher body fat associated with non-adaptive eating behaviour in childhood; it is possible that the higher PRS (higher plasma PUFA) is a protective feature.