Recent research has reported that two variants within the CREBRF gene are present amongst Samoans and associated with an increased risk of obesity and a decreased risk of diabetes in adults. This study sought to determine whether these variants are prevalent in the many Pacific populations (including Māori and Pacific ethnic groups) in New Zealand and to establish whether they are associated with body growth and the development of obesity in early childhood. The study sample included 4,572 Māori, Pacific (including children identified as Samoan, Tongan, Cook Island Māori, Niuean, or Other Pacific Peoples), European, or Asian children from the 4-year data collection wave of the Growing Up in New Zealand study. DNA samples were collected from all participants and genotyped for two markers (rs12513649 and rs373863828). These genetic variants were not confined to Samoans but were prevalent in all other Pacific populations sampled, including Māori. The rs373863828 variant was significantly associated with weight, height and BMI at 4 years of age. In analyses adjusted for sex, age and population group, there was a substantial effect size for body weight attributed to the A allele at 4 years of age (455 g; s.e. 0158; p=0.004). For height at 4 years, the effect size attributed to the A allele was 0.70 cm (s.e. 0.26; p=0.007) and for waist circumference, the effect size attributed to the A allele was 0.64 cm (s.e. 0.24; p=0.004). The rs373863828 variant was not associated with birth weight (p=0.129).
