Environmental forces that shape early development: What we know and still need to know

Understanding health requires more than knowledge of the genome. Environmental factors regulate gene function through epigenetics. Collectively, environmental exposures have been called the "exposome." Caregivers are instrumental in shaping exposures in a child's initial years. Maternal dietary patterns, physical activity, degree of weight gain,...

Associations between FTO genotype and total energy and macronutrient intake in adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Risk variants of fat mass and obesity-associated (FTO) gene have been associated with increased obesity. However, the evidence for associations between FTO genotype and macronutrient intake has not been reviewed systematically. Our aim was to evaluate the potential associations between FTO genotype and intakes of total energy, fat, carbohydrate...

Inhibition of the central melanocortin system decreases brown adipose tissue activity

The melanocortin system is an important regulator of energy balance, and melanocortin 4 receptor (MC4R) deficiency is the most common monogenic cause of obesity. We investigated whether the relationship between melanocortin system activity and energy expenditure (EE) is mediated by brown adipose tissue (BAT) activity. Therefore, female APOE∗3...