Pooled analysis of epigenome-wide association studies of food consumption in KORA, TwinsUK and LLS

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#male #middle-aged #humans #female #epigenome

Pooled analysis of epigenome-wide association studies of food consumption in KORA, TwinsUK and LLS

Hellbach et al., 2023 | Eur J Nutr | Meta Analysis

Citation

Hellbach Fabian, Sinke Lucy, ... Linseisen Jakob. Pooled analysis of epigenome-wide association studies of food consumption in KORA, TwinsUK and LLS. Eur J Nutr. 2023-Apr;62(3):1357-1375. doi:10.1007/s00394-022-03074-9

Abstract

PURPOSE: Examining epigenetic patterns is a crucial step in identifying molecular changes of disease pathophysiology, with DNA methylation as the most accessible epigenetic measure. Diet is suggested to affect metabolism and health via epigenetic modifications. Thus, our aim was to explore the association between food consumption and DNA methylation. METHODS: Epigenome-wide association studies were conducted in three cohorts: KORA FF4, TwinsUK, and Leiden Longevity Study, and 37 dietary exposures were evaluated. Food group definition was harmonized across the three cohorts. DNA methylation was measured using Infinium MethylationEPIC BeadChip in KORA and Infinium HumanMethylation450 BeadChip in the Leiden study and the TwinsUK study. Overall, data from 2293 middle-aged men and women were included. A fixed-effects meta-analysis pooled study-specific estimates. The significance threshold was set at 0.05 for false-discovery rate-adjusted p values per food group. RESULTS: We identified significant associations between the methylation level of CpG sites and the consumption of onions and garlic (2), nuts and seeds (18), milk (1), cream (11), plant oils (4), butter (13), and alcoholic beverages (27). The signals targeted genes of metabolic health relevance, for example, GLI1, RPTOR, and DIO1, among others. CONCLUSION: This EWAS is unique with its focus on food groups that are part of a Western diet. Significant findings were mostly related to food groups with a high-fat content.

Key Findings

We identified significant associations between the methylation level of CpG sites and the consumption of onions and garlic (2), nuts and seeds (18), milk (1), cream (11), plant oils (4), butter (13), and alcoholic beverages (27). The signals targeted genes of metabolic health relevance, for example, GLI1, RPTOR, and DIO1, among others.

Outcomes Measured

  • Requires manual extraction

Population

Field Value
Population See abstract
Sample Size See abstract
Age Range See abstract
Condition See abstract

MeSH Terms

  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Humans
  • Female
  • Epigenome
  • Genome-Wide Association Study
  • CpG Islands
  • Epigenesis, Genetic
  • DNA Methylation

Evidence Classification

  • Level: Meta Analysis
  • Publication Types: Meta-Analysis, Journal Article
  • Vertical: garlic

Provenance

Source extracted via PubMed E-utilities API on 2026-04-09