Genetic investigations using the candidate approach to studying gene variation and phenotypic outcome have described the influence of the filaggrin gene (FLG)27 on child susceptibility to atopic eczema and asthma. ALSPAC was the largest follow-up sample in the discovery that variation at the FTO28,29 gene is associated with increased adiposity and predisposition to obesity; using DXA assessment measures ALSPAC showed that the association was only present for fat mass and not lean mass. ALSPAC holds DNA collected at multiple time points, allowing researchers to explore DNA methylation and epigenetics.30,31 To realize the full potential of the resource ALSPAC is involved in genetic consortium studies including UK10K and EGG (early growth genetics).
