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Table 1 Within MZ and DZ twin pair correlations for the response of body composition and cardiorespiratory fitness following a physical activity intervention in twin studies

From: The Beneficial Effects of Physical Activity: Is It Down to Your Genes? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Twin and Family Studies

Author (year)

Sample

Age [mean (SD)]

Baseline status [mean (SD)]

Within MZ correlation (95% CI)

Within DZ correlation (95% CI)

Between MZ and DZ correlation significanced

Body fat percentage (%)

 Hopkins ND (2012)a

6 MZ (1 male and 5 female) and 6 DZ (2 male and 4 female) twin pairs

MZ: 13.5 (0.8)

DZ: 13.4 (0.8)

MZ: 27.1 (6.9)

DZ: 26.0 (11.3)

0.63 (−0.37 to 0.95)

0.31 (−0.67 to 0.90)

p = 0.606

 Afman G (1988)b

18 MZ (2 males and 16 females) and 9 DZ (3 males and 6 females) twin pairs

MZ: 19.0 (1.4)

DZ: 19.4 (1.8)

MZ: 21.3 (9.0)

DZ: 19.9 (7.2)

0.61 (0.20 to 0.84)

0.50 (−0.25 to 0.87)

p = 0.742

 Danis A (2003)

9 MZ male twin pairs

11–14c

E: 17.8 (4.1)

C: 16.8 (2.8)

*

*

h 2 = 69%**

BMI

 Hopkins ND (2012)a

6 MZ (1 male and 5 female) and 6 DZ (2 male and 4 female) twin pairs

MZ: 13.5 (0.8)

DZ: 13.4 (0.8)

MZ: 21.5 (3.5)

DZ: 21.9 (3.5)

0.81 (0.00 to 0.98)

0.57 (−0.45 to 0.94)

p = 0.557

 Afman G (1988)b

16 MZ (3 males and 13 females) and 6 DZ (2 males and 4 females) twin pairs

MZ:18.6 (1.1)

DZ: 19.3 (1.3)

MZ: 21.9 (1.9)

DZ: 22.6 (3.7)

0.42 (−0.10 to 0.76)

0.00 (−0.81 to 0.81)

p = 0.485

Weight (kg)

 Hopkins ND (2012)a

6 MZ (1 male and 5 female) and 6 DZ (2 male and 4 female) twin pairs

MZ: 13.5 (0.8)

DZ: 13.4 (0.8)

MZ: 59.0 (11.5)

DZ: 58.9 (12.6)

0.89 (0.28 to 0.99)

0.00 (−0.81 to 0.81)

p = 0.091

 Afman G (1988)b

19 MZ (3 males and 16 females) and 9 DZ (3 males and 6 females) twin pairs

MZ: 18.7 (1.0)

DZ: 19.4 (1.8)

MZ: 60.4 (10.6)

DZ: 67.1 (13.4)

0.53 (0.10 to 0.79)

0.13 (−0.58 to 0.73)

p = 0.337

Fat free mass

 Hopkins ND (2012)a

6 MZ (1 male and 5 female) and 6 DZ (2 male and 4 female) twin pairs

MZ: 13.5 (0.8)

DZ: 13.4 (0.8)

MZ: 69.9 (6.8)%

DZ: 69.9 (6.8)%

0.52 (−0.50 to 0.94)

0.34 (−0.65 to 0.90)

p = 0.785

 Afman G (1988)b

19 MZ (3 males and 16 females) and 9 DZ (3 males and 6 females) twin pairs

MZ: 18.9 (1.4)

DZ: 19.4 (1.8)

MZ: 48.2 (8.1) kg

DZ: 53.2 (13.2) kg

0.40 (−0.07 to 0.72)

0.18 (−0.55 to 0.75)

p = 1.000

Relative VO2 max (mL.kg−1min−1)

 Hopkins ND (2012)a

6 MZ (1 male and 5 female) and 6 DZ (2 male and 4 female) twin pairs

MZ: 13.5 (0.8)

DZ: 13.4 (0.8)

MZ: 44.4 (8.1)

DZ: 45.7 (8.1)

0.43 (−0.59 to 0.92)

0.21 (−0.73 to 0.87)

p = 0.763

 Afman G (1988)b

19 MZ (3 males and 16 females) and 9 DZ (3 males and 6 females) twin pairs

MZ: 18.9 (1.4)

DZ: 19.4 (1.8)

MZ: 33.3 (7.3)

DZ: 37.1 (8.0)

0.44 (0.00 to 0.74)

0.00 (−0.66 to 0.66)

p = 0.324

 Danis A (2003)

9 MZ male twin pairs

11–14c

E: 52.1 (3.6)

C: 54.0 (3.9)

*

*

h2 = 44%**

Absolute VO2 max (L.min−1)

 Afman G (1988)b

20 MZ (3 males and 16 females) and 9 DZ (3 males and 6 females) twin pairs

MZ: 18.9 (1.4)

DZ: 19.4 (1.8)

MZ: 2.0 (0.6)

DZ: 2.5 (0.9)

0.44 (0.00 to 0.74)

0.00 (−0.66 to 0.66)

p = 0.320

 Danis A (2003)

9 MZ male twin pairs

11–14c

E: 2.1 (0.4)

C: 2.1 (0.4)

*

*

h 2 = 54%**

  1. MZ monozygotic, DZ dizygotic, E experimental group, C control group, SD standard deviation, CI confidence interval, h 2 heritability, VO 2 max maximal oxygen uptake, BMI body mass index
  2. *No reported correlation due to a different method used to estimate heritability
  3. **Unable to calculate the standard error and thus present the 95% CI
  4. aWithin twin pair correlations (95% CI) extracted from the publication
  5. bWithin twin pair correlations (95% CI) calculated from raw data
  6. cDid not report a mean age (SD)
  7. dUnable to calculate the within MZ and DZ twin pair correlations for Danis A (2003) due to methodology, so the h 2 is presented instead
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