Association of FTO gene polymorphisms and obesity

About ۱.۴ billion people worldwide are overweight, of which one-third areobese. Overweight-related diseases such as type ۲ diabetes, cardiovasculardisease, and an increased risk of certain types of cancer not only reduce aperson's quality of life but also add a significant burden to the health andeconomic systems of communities. Obesity has a strong hereditarybackground, part of which is explained by the known single nucleotidepolymorphisms (SNPs). These SNPs are also associated with obesityrelatedtraits such as fat mass, leptin levels, and waist-to-hip ratio, as wellas increased food intake and decreased satiety. FTO is one of the genesinvolved in polygenic obesity and was the first gene to be identified byextensive genomic association studies. In these studies, a cluster of SNPswas found in the first intron of the FTO gene, which is associated with anincrease in body mass index (BMI) in children and adults, regardless ofgender. A more detailed analysis has shown that the increase in energyexpenditure in people with dangerous alleles is due to an increasedpreference for high-energy foods, especially foods with higher fat content.Exercise may reduce the association between these SNPs and obesityrelatedtraits. The results of these studies can be used to provide preventiveand therapeutic strategies against overweight and obesity in susceptibleindividuals.

Keywords:

FTO , SNP , BMI , Obesity , Polymorphism