A new framework for conducting GWAS using repeated measures data reveals insights into childhood BMI

The study, published in Nature Communications, introduces a novel methodology to analyse the trajectory of trait changes, specifically focusing on childhood Body Mass Index (BMI). The new framework allows for comprehensive data quality control and uses mixed models to evaluate individual characteristics such as BMI, height and other quantitative measures over time.

The framework was applied to childhood BMI, analysing data from 71,336 participants across six cohorts. The study estimated the slope and area under the BMI curve during four distinct periods: infancy, early childhood, late childhood and adolescence. 

The GWAS identified 28 genome-wide significant variants at 13 loci, including one in the DAOA gene, which had not been previously associated with childhood or adult BMI.