Endocrine Abstracts

Objective: Genetic factors play a major role in obesity. Numerous studies have confirmed associations of the SNP rs9930506 of FTO gene with increased BMI, hip circumference and total body weight. The metabolic consequences of obesity depend, to a large degree, on body fat distribution.

MONW individuals (metabolically obese normal-weight), despite their normal BMI, are characterized by visceral obesity and display metabolic properties that may predispose them to developing metabolic syndrome.

Materials and methods: The FTO rs9930506 SNP was genotyped in 824 young (20 to 40 years of age) subjects, randomly selected from tree different regions of Poland.

We analyzed the influence of rs9930506 of FTO gene on the body fat distribution and correlated metabolic parameters in two groups: metabolically obese-normal weight (MONW) and normal weight, classified with consideration to HOMA value (1.69).

All subjects had previously undergone physical examinations, anthropometric measurements (BMI, WHR), densitometry (DXA, dual X-ray absorptiometry) and biochemical measurements (triglycerides, total cholesterol, HDL, LDL, glucose, and insulin).

Results: The prevalence of genotypes of the FTO gene was consistent with the Hardy-Weinberg law in the studied group of men (χ²=0.05, P=0.8289) and women (χ²=0.20, P=0.6573). There were no statistical differences in the prevalence of genotypes in MONW and normal weight groups between the two groups. In the group of normal weight men, in homozygous carriers of the risk allele (GG), higher waist circumference was noted (P=0.0449). In the group of MONW men, the carriers of the risk allele had increased hip circumference (P=0.0356) and C.FAT (P=0.0350).

Conclusions: Despite the association of the FTO rs9930506 SNP with particular parameters in the studied groups, the results did not confirm the impact of this polymorphism on the visceral obesity in MONW individuals. Further studies are required.