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β1-Adrenoceptor gene polymorphism predicts long-term changes in body weight

International Journal of Obesity volume 29, pages 458–462 (2005)Cite this article

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

The genes controlling long-term weight changes are largely unknown. The beta1 (β1)-adrenoceptor gene contains two nonsynonomous single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), Ser49Gly and Gly389Arg, that both are functional in human cell lines.

DESIGN:

We investigated the influence of these two SNPs on short- and long-term changes in body mass index (BMI) in a population-based cohort of 761 women who were examined during pregnancy in 1984–1985 and 15 y thereafter.

RESULTS:

At entry, no genotype effect on BMI was found. After 15 y, the BMI of women carrying the Gly49-genotype (25.3±0.3 kg/m2) was higher (P<0.005) than that of Ser49-women (24.4±0.2 kg/m2). Also, the BMI-increase over 15 y was higher (P=0.018) in Gly49-women (3.3±0.2 kg/m2) than in Ser49-women (2.8±0.1 kg/m2). The odds ratio for being overweight after 15 y having the Gly49-genotype was 1.6 (confidence interval 1.1–2.3, P=0.01). No effect of SNP 389 alone on BMI was found but there was a genotype–genotype interaction. Those carrying the Gly49–Gly389 combination increased their BMI about 0.7 kg/m2 more than other combinations (P=0.025). No genotype effect on BMI changes during pregnancy for either SNP was found.

CONCLUSION:

Polymorphism of the β1-adrenoceptor gene influences long-term weight gain and the incidence of adult-onset overweight in women.

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Acknowledgements

The excellent assistance by nurses Britt-Marie Leijonhufvud and Katharina Hertel in the examination of the women and by Kerstin Wåhlen and Elisabeth Dungner in the genotyping is greatly acknowledged. This study was supported by grants from the Swedish Research Council, Swedish Society of Medicine and Foundations of Thuring, Wiberg and Bergvall.

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  1. Department of Medicine, Karolinska Institutet at Karolinska University Hospital Huddinge, Stockholm, Sweden

    Y Linné, I Dahlman & J Hoffstedt

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  1. Y Linné
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Correspondence to J Hoffstedt.

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Linné, Y., Dahlman, I. & Hoffstedt, J. β1-Adrenoceptor gene polymorphism predicts long-term changes in body weight. Int J Obes 29, 458–462 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ijo.0802892

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