Body Mass Index Drives Changes in DNA Methylation: A Longitudinal Study

RATIONALE:Previous EWASs (Epigenome-Wide Association Studies) suggest that obesity may be the cause, not a consequence, of changes in DNA methylation (DNAm). However, longitudinal observations are lacking. OBJECTIVE:To identify 5′—cytosine—phosphate—guanine—3′ in DNA (CpG) sites associated with body mass index (BMI) and examine the temporal relationship between dynamic changes in DNAm and BMI in a longitudinal cohort. METHODS AND RESULTS:Race-specific EWASs were performed in 995 whites and 490 blacks from the Bogalusa Heart Study. Suggestive CpG sites were further replicated in 252 whites and 228 blacks from the Georgia Stress and Heart Study. Cross-lagged panel analysis was used to examine the temporal relationship between DNAm and BMI in 439 whites and 201 blacks who were examined twice 6.2 years apart. In discovery and replication samples, 349 CpG sites (266 novel) in whites and 36 (21 novel) in blacks were identified to be robustly associated with BMI, with 8 (1 novel) CpG sites overlapping between the 2 races. Cross-lagged panel analyses showed significant unidirectional paths (PFDR