New loci for body fat percentage reveal link between adiposity and cardiometabolic disease risk
Authors: Lu Yingchang , Day Felix R. , Gustafsson Stefan , Buchkovich Martin L. , Na Jianbo , Bataille Veronique , Cousminer Diana L. , Dastani Zari , Drong Alexander W. , Esko Tõnu , Evans David M. , Falchi Mario , Feitosa Mary F. , Ferreira Teresa , Hedman Åsa K. , Haring Robin , Hysi Pirro G. , Iles Mark M. , Justice Anne E. , Kanoni Stavroula , Lagou Vasiliki , Li Rui , Li Xin , Locke Adam , Lu Chen , Mägi Reedik , Perry John R. B. , Pers Tune H. , Qi Qibin , Sanna Marianna , Schmidt Ellen M. , Scott William R. , Shungin Dmitry , Teumer Alexander , Vinkhuyzen Anna A. E. , Walker Ryan W. , Westra Harm-Jan , Zhang Mingfeng , Zhang Weihua , Zhao Jing Hua , Zhu Zhihong , Afzal Uzma , Ahluwalia Tarunveer Singh , Bakker Stephan J. L. , Bellis Claire , Bonnefond Amélie , Borodulin Katja , Buchman Aron S. , Cederholm Tommy , Choh Audrey C. , Choi Hyung Jin , Curran Joanne E. , de Groot Lisette C. P. G. M. , De Jager Philip L. , Dhonukshe-Rutten Rosalie A. M. , Enneman Anke W. , Eury Elodie , Evans Daniel S. , Forsen Tom , Friedrich Nele , Fumeron Frédéric , Garcia Melissa E. , Gärtner Simone , Han Bok-Ghee , Havulinna Aki S. , Hayward Caroline , Hernandez Dena , Hillege Hans , Ittermann Till , Kent Jack W. , Kolcic Ivana , Laatikainen Tiina , Lahti Jari , Leach Irene Mateo , Lee Christine G. , Lee Jong-Young , Liu Tian , Liu Youfang , Lobbens Stéphane , Loh Marie , Lyytikäinen Leo-Pekka , Medina-Gomez Carolina , Michaëlsson Karl , Nalls Mike A. , Nielson Carrie M. , Oozageer Laticia , Pascoe Laura , Paternoster Lavinia , Polašek Ozren , Ripatti Samuli , Sarzynski Mark A. , Shin Chan Soo , Narančić Nina Smolej , Spira Dominik , Srikanth Priya , Steinhagen-Thiessen Elisabeth , Sung Yun Ju , Swart Karin M. A. , Taittonen Leena , Tanaka Toshiko , Tikkanen Emmi , van der Velde Nathalie , van Schoor Natasja M. , Verweij Niek , Wright Alan F. , Yu Lei , Zmuda Joseph M. , Eklund Niina , Forrester Terrence , Grarup Niels , Jackson Anne U. , Kristiansson Kati , Kuulasmaa Teemu , Kuusisto Johanna , Lichtner Peter , Luan Jian'an , Mahajan Anubha , Männistö Satu , Palmer Cameron D. , Ried Janina S. , Scott Robert A. , Stancáková Alena , Wagner Peter J. , Demirkan Ayse , Döring Angela , Gudnason Vilmundur , Kiel Douglas P. , Kühnel Brigitte , Mangino Massimo , Mcknight Barbara , Menni Cristina , O'Connell Jeffrey R. , Oostra Ben A. , Shuldiner Alan R. , Song Kijoung , Vandenput Liesbeth , van Duijn Cornelia M. , Vollenweider Peter , White Charles C. , Boehnke Michael , Boettcher Yvonne , Cooper Richard S. , Forouhi Nita G. , Gieger Christian , Grallert Harald , Hingorani Aroon , Jørgensen Torben , Jousilahti Pekka , Kivimaki Mika , Kumari Meena , Laakso Markku , Langenberg Claudia , Linneberg Allan , Luke Amy , Mckenzie Colin A. , Palotie Aarno , Pedersen Oluf , Peters Annette , Strauch Konstantin , Tayo Bamidele O. , Wareham Nicholas J. , Bennett David A. , Bertram Lars , Blangero John , Blüher Matthias , Bouchard Claude , Campbell Harry , Cho Nam H. , Cummings Steven R. , Czerwinski Stefan A. , Demuth Ilja , Eckardt Rahel , Eriksson Johan G. , Ferrucci Luigi , Franco Oscar H. , Froguel Philippe , Gansevoort Ron T. , Hansen Torben , Harris Tamara B. , Hastie Nicholas , Heliövaara Markku , Hofman Albert , Jordan Joanne M. , Jula Antti , Kähönen Mika , Kajantie Eero , Knekt Paul B. , Koskinen Seppo , Kovacs Peter , Lehtimäki Terho , Lind Lars , Liu Yongmei , Orwoll Eric S. , Osmond Clive , Perola Markus , Pérusse Louis , Raitakari Olli T. , Rankinen Tuomo , Rao D. C. , Rice Treva K. , Rivadeneira Fernando , Rudan Igor , Salomaa Veikko , Sørensen Thorkild I. A. , Stumvoll Michael , Tönjes Anke , Towne Bradford , Tranah Gregory J. , Tremblay Angelo , Uitterlinden André G. , van der Harst Pim , Vartiainen Erkki , Viikari Jorma S. , Vitart Veronique , Vohl Marie-Claude , Völzke Henry , Walker Mark , Wallaschofski Henri , Wild Sarah , Wilson James F. , Yengo Loïc , Bishop D. Timothy , Borecki Ingrid B. , Chambers John C. , Cupples L. Adrienne , Dehghan Abbas , Deloukas Panos , Fatemifar Ghazaleh , Fox Caroline , Furey Terrence S. , Franke Lude , Han Jiali , Hunter David J. , Karjalainen Juha , Karpe Fredrik , Kaplan Robert C. , Kooner Jaspal S. , McCarthy Mark I. , Murabito Joanne M. , Morris Andrew P. , Bishop Julia A. N. , North Kari E. , Ohlsson Claes , Ong Ken K. , Prokopenko Inga , Richards J. Brent , Schadt Eric E. , Spector Tim D. , Widén Elisabeth , Willer Cristen J. , Yang Jian , Ingelsson Erik , Mohlke Karen L. , Hirschhorn Joel N. , Pospisilik John Andrew , Zillikens M. Carola , Lindgren Cecilia , Kilpeläinen Tuomas Oskari , Loos Ruth J. F. 
Published: February 2016

To increase our understanding of the genetic basis of adiposity and its links to cardiometabolic disease risk, we conducted a genome-wide association meta-analysis of body fat percentage (BF%) in up to 100,716 individuals. Twelve loci reached genome-wide significance (P<5 × 10−8), of which eight were previously associated with increased overall adiposity (BMI, BF%) and four (in or near COBLL1/GRB14, IGF2BP1, PLA2G6, CRTC1) were novel associations with BF%. Seven loci showed a larger effect on BF% than on BMI, suggestive of a primary association with adiposity, while five loci showed larger effects on BMI than on BF%, suggesting association with both fat and lean mass. In particular, the loci more strongly associated with BF% showed distinct cross-phenotype association signatures with a range of cardiometabolic traits revealing new insights in the link between adiposity and disease risk.