Zygosity Differences in Height and Body Mass Index of Twins From Infancy to Old Age: A Study of the CODATwins Project
Authors: Jelenkovic Aline , Yokoyama Yoshie , Sund Reijo , Honda Chika , Bogl Leonie H , Aaltonen Sari , Ji Fuling , Ning Feng , Pang Zengchang , Ordoñana Juan R. , Sánchez-Romera Juan F. , Colodro-Conde Lucia , Burt S. Alexandra , Klump Kelly L. , Medland Sarah E. , Montgomery Grant W. , Kandler Christian , McAdams Tom A. , Eley Thalia C. , Gregory Alice M. , Saudino Kimberly J. , Dubois Lise , Boivin Michel , Tarnoki Adam D. , Tarnoki David L. , Haworth Claire M. A. , Plomin Robert , Öncel Sevgi Y. , Aliev Fazil , Stazi Maria A. , Fagnani Corrado , D’Ippolito Cristina , Craig Jeffrey M. , Saffery Richard , Siribaddana Sisira H. , Hotopf Matthew , Sumathipala Athula , Rijsdijk Fruhling , Spector Timothy , Mangino Massimo , Lachance Genevieve , Gatz Margaret , Butler David A. , Bayasgalan Gombojav , Narandalai Danshiitsoodol , Freitas Duarte L , Maia José Antonio , Harden K. Paige , Tucker-Drob Elliot M. , Kim Bia , Chong Youngsook , Hong Changhee , Shin Hyun Jung , Christensen Kaare , Skytthe Axel , Kyvik Kirsten O. , Derom Catherine A. , Vlietinck Robert F. , Loos Ruth J. F. , Cozen Wendy , Hwang Amie E. , Mack Thomas M. , He Mingguang , Ding Xiaohu , Chang Billy , Silberg Judy L. , Eaves Lindon J. , Maes Hermine H. , Cutler Tessa L. , Hopper John L. , Aujard Kelly , Magnusson Patrik K. E. , Pedersen Nancy L. , Aslan Anna K. Dahl , Song Yun-Mi , Yang Sarah , Lee Kayoung , Baker Laura A. , Tuvblad Catherine , Bjerregaard-Andersen Morten , Beck-Nielsen Henning , Sodemann Morten , Heikkilä Kauko , Tan Qihua , Zhang Dongfeng , Swan Gary E. , Krasnow Ruth , Jang Kerry L. , Knafo-Noam Ariel , Mankuta David , Abramson Lior , Lichtenstein Paul , Krueger Robert F. , McGue Matt , Pahlen Shandell , Tynelius Per , Duncan Glen E. , Buchwald Dedra , Corley Robin P. , Huibregtse Brooke M. , Nelson Tracy L. , Whitfield Keith E. , Franz Carol E. , Kremen William S. , Lyons Michael J. , Ooki Syuichi , Brandt Ingunn , Nilsen Thomas Sevenius , Inui Fujio , Watanabe Mikio , Bartels Meike , van Beijsterveldt Toos C. E. M. , Wardle Jane , Llewellyn Clare H. , Fisher Abigail , Rebato Esther , Martin Nicholas G. , Iwatani Yoshinori , Hayakawa Kazuo , Sung Joohon , Harris Jennifer R. , Willemsen Gonneke , Busjahn Andreas , Goldberg Jack H. , Rasmussen Finn , Hur Yoon-Mi , Boomsma Dorret I. , Sørensen Thorkild I. A. , Kaprio Jaakko , Silventoinen Karri 
Published: September 2015

A trend toward greater body size in dizygotic (DZ) than in monozygotic (MZ) twins has been suggested by some but not all studies, and this difference may also vary by age. We analyzed zygosity differences in mean values and variances of height and body mass index (BMI) among male and female twins from infancy to old age. Data were derived from an international database of 54 twin cohorts participating in the COllaborative project of Development of Anthropometrical measures in Twins (CODATwins), and included 842,951 height and BMI measurements from twins aged 1 to 102 years. The results showed that DZ twins were consistently taller than MZ twins, with differences of up to 2.0 cm in childhood and adolescence and up to 0.9 cm in adulthood. Similarly, a greater mean BMI of up to 0.3 kg/m2 in childhood and adolescence and up to 0.2 kg/m2 in adulthood was observed in DZ twins, although the pattern was less consistent. DZ twins presented up to 1.7% greater height and 1.9% greater BMI than MZ twins; these percentage differences were largest in middle and late childhood and decreased with age in both sexes. The variance of height was similar in MZ and DZ twins at most ages. In contrast, the variance of BMI was significantly higher in DZ than in MZ twins, particularly in childhood. In conclusion, DZ twins were generally taller and had greater BMI than MZ twins, but the differences decreased with age in both sexes.