Quasi-causal associations of physical activity and neighborhood walkability with body mass index: a twin study

Glen E Duncan; Stephanie Whisnant Cash; Erin E Horn; Eric Turkheimer

doi:10.1016/j.ypmed.2014.11.024

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Quasi-causal associations of physical activity and neighborhood walkability with body mass index: a twin study

Journal article

Open access

Peer reviewed

Quasi-causal associations of physical activity and neighborhood walkability with body mass index: a twin study

Glen E Duncan, Stephanie Whisnant Cash, Erin E Horn and Eric Turkheimer

Preventive medicine, Vol.70, pp.90-95

01/2015

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ypmed.2014.11.024

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https://hdl.handle.net/2376/113807

PMCID: PMC4274205

PMID: 25482422

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Abstract

Body Mass Index

Multivariate Analysis

Residence Characteristics

Geographic Information Systems

Twins, Monozygotic - genetics

Humans

Twins, Dizygotic - statistics & numerical data

Male

Motor Activity

Twins, Dizygotic - genetics

Washington

Walking - physiology

Phenotype

Monitoring, Physiologic - methods

Adult

Environment Design

Female

Monitoring, Physiologic - instrumentation

Walking - statistics & numerical data

Twins, Monozygotic - statistics & numerical data

Physical activity, neighborhood walkability, and body mass index (BMI, kg/m(2)) associations were tested using quasi-experimental twin methods. We hypothesized that physical activity and walkability were independently associated with BMI within twin pairs, controlling for genetic and environmental background shared between them. Data were from 6376 (64% female; 58% identical) same-sex pairs, University of Washington Twin Registry, 2008-2013. Neighborhood walking, moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), and BMI were self-reported. Residential address was used to calculate walkability. Phenotypic (non-genetically informed) and biometric (genetically informed) regression was employed, controlling for age, sex, and race. Walking and MVPA were associated with BMI in phenotypic analyses; associations were attenuated but significant in biometric analyses (Ps<0.05). Walkability was not associated with BMI, however, was associated with walking (but not MVPA) in both phenotypic and biometric analyses (Ps<0.05), with no attenuation accounting for shared genetic and environmental background. The association between activity and BMI is largely due to shared genetic and environmental factors, but a significant causal relationship remains accounting for shared background. Although walkability is not associated with BMI, it is associated with neighborhood walking (but not MVPA) accounting for shared background, suggesting a causal relationship between them.

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Title: Quasi-causal associations of physical activity and neighborhood walkability with body mass index: a twin study
Creators: Glen E Duncan - Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States; Nutritional Sciences Program, School of Public Health, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States. Electronic address: duncag@u.washington.edu
Stephanie Whisnant Cash - Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States; Public Health Sciences Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, United States
Erin E Horn - Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, United States
Eric Turkheimer - Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, United States
Publication Details: Preventive medicine, Vol.70, pp.90-95
Academic Unit: Nutrition and Exercise Physiology, Department of
Publisher: United States
Grant note: R01 AG042176 / NIA NIH HHS RC2 HL103416 / NHLBI NIH HHS
Identifiers: 99900547622201842
Language: English
Resource Type: Journal article