Summary: A new collaborative study from the University of Surrey and the University of Pennsylvania has identified genetic links between rapid height growth during puberty and higher risks for several adult health conditions, including atrial fibrillation, type 2 diabetes, and lung cancer. The research analyzed longitudinal growth data from around 56,000 people and pinpointed 26 genes that influence the timing, scale, and tempo of pubertal growth.
The findings clarify how specific genetic factors that shape growth in adolescence can have lasting health consequences. By mapping these genetic associations, the study highlights opportunities for more personalized health monitoring and preventive strategies that consider an individual’s growth trajectory and genetic profile.
Key Facts:
- Genetic factors identified: Twenty-six genome-wide significant loci were associated with different aspects of the pubertal growth spurt, including magnitude, timing, and intensity.
- Health implications: Being relatively tall at the onset of puberty and experiencing a faster pubertal growth tempo were associated with increased risks of atrial fibrillation, higher insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, and lung cancer in later life.
- Large-scale, trans-ancestry analysis: The study modeled longitudinal height measurements from childhood through adulthood across contemporary and 20th-century cohorts, using data from diverse ancestral backgrounds to improve resolution and fine-mapping of genetic signals.
Source: University of Surrey
Overview
Researchers applied growth curve modeling to serial height measurements starting from age five through adulthood in approximately 56,000 individuals. Using the SITAR (Super-Imposition by Translation And Rotation) framework, the team modeled six phenotypes representing the magnitude (scale), timing, and tempo (intensity) of pubertal height growth. They then performed genome-wide association analyses across these phenotypes and examined how the identified genetic variants relate to adult health outcomes in large biobank resources.
By integrating trans-ancestry genetic data, the researchers increased their ability to fine-map loci and detect signals that may be missed in single-ancestry studies. The analysis revealed 26 loci related to pubertal growth dynamics and demonstrated that different growth trajectories are genetically correlated with distinct adult health traits.
Specifically, a faster tempo of pubertal growth showed positive genetic correlations with higher bone mineral density, elevated fasting insulin and HOMA-IR (a marker of insulin resistance), and greater risk for type 2 diabetes and lung cancer. Separately, being taller at early puberty, maintaining greater height during puberty, and experiencing faster overall pubertal growth were linked to a higher risk of atrial fibrillation later in life.
Dr. Zhanna Balkhiyarova, co-author and senior postdoctoral researcher at the University of Surrey, emphasized the value of large-scale genetic analyses in revealing the complexities of human growth and its lifelong health consequences. The team’s work suggests that there is no single “optimal” growth trajectory for everyone—genetic variation means different patterns of growth may carry different long-term risks.
Dr. Anna Ulrich, a contributor to the study, noted that these results challenge one-size-fits-all assumptions about ideal growth patterns and underscore the need for tailored approaches to monitoring and managing health risks that account for an individual’s genetic and developmental profile.
Professor Inga Prokopenko, senior researcher and head of Statistical Multi-Omics at the University of Surrey, described the study as a key advance in linking childhood growth dynamics to adult disease risks. As genetic signals linked to pubertal growth are better understood, they can inform future research on preventive measures and targeted interventions that consider both developmental history and genetic susceptibility.
About this genetics and neurodevelopment research news
Author: Zhanna Balkhiyarova
Source: University of Surrey
Contact: Zhanna Balkhiyarova – University of Surrey
Image: Image credit to Neuroscience News
Original Research: Open access. Title: “Trans-ancestral genome-wide association study of longitudinal pubertal height growth and shared heritability with adult health outcomes” by Jonathan P. Bradfield et al., published in Genome Biology.
Abstract
Trans-ancestral genome-wide association study of longitudinal pubertal height growth and shared heritability with adult health outcomes
Background
Pubertal growth trajectories are associated with later-life health, but the genetics that shape these trajectories are not well characterized. The study modeled longitudinal height using SITAR on roughly 56,000 trans-ancestry samples with repeated measurements from age five through adulthood. Six phenotypes were derived to capture magnitude, timing, and tempo of the pubertal growth spurt. Subsequent genetic correlation analyses and phenome-wide association studies used large biobank datasets to investigate lifelong impacts of the identified variants.
Results
Large-scale growth modeling provided a detailed view of adolescent growth across diverse cohorts and historic periods. The analysis identified 26 genome-wide significant loci, leveraged trans-ancestry data for fine-mapping, and demonstrated genetic relationships between pediatric height growth and adult health outcomes. Different growth trajectories were associated with different adult traits, including bone density, glycemic markers, respiratory disease, and cardiac arrhythmia risk.
Conclusion
The study reports new genetic associations with the tempo of pubertal growth and shows that genetic determinants of growth trajectories are correlated with reproductive, metabolic, respiratory, and cardiac traits in adulthood. These findings improve our understanding of how early-life growth patterns relate to lifelong health and support more individualized approaches to risk assessment and prevention.