An epigenome-wide association study of anthropometric measures has now been published in the journal Clinical Epigenetics. With that, it's not only the first genomics paper of the RODAM study, but it is also a landmark paper of epigenomic studies in Africans. Never before has an epigenomic study in Africans been published. Click here to view the publication.
The paper shows that epigenetic loci are involved in adiposity - general obesity and abdominal obesity - among Ghanaians. We identified epigenetic loci that were also associated with adiposity in other populations and that therefore potentially play a role in adiposity accross populations. In addition, we also identified novel epigenetic loci that are potentially African-specific. Further research is needed to confirm these findings and to determine the role of these epigenetic loci in the high burden of adiposity among Ghanaians and other African populations.
