As part of a competence network funded obesity study, staff members from the Institute of Epidemiology at Helmholtz Zentrum München II (HMGU) have evaluated metabolic data from the KORA study. In the process both metabolomics and transcriptomics data were included.

The researchers headed by Prof. Dr. Barbara Thorand who is leader of the working group "Diabetes Epidemiology" at the the Institute Epidemiology II found out that a large number of metabolic pathways are associated with weight changes. These include for example the metabolism of lipoproteins such as VLDL (very low density lipoprotein), LDL (Low Density Lipoprotein) and HDL (high density lipoprotein). A group of gene transcripts suggests that weight changes also have an effect on the development of red blood cells.

The scientists have published their results in the journal BMC Medicine.

Optionally, S. et al. (2015). Multi-omic Signature of body weight change: results from a population-based cohort study. BMC Medicine 2015,
doi: 10.1186 / s12916-015-0282-y

Source:
http://www.innovations-report.de/

KORA study:
http://www.dzd-ev.de/forschung/epidemiologie/kora-studie/index.html