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Short Allele of Serotonin Transporter Gene Promoter Is a Risk Factor for Obesity in Adolescents
Author(s) -
Sookoian Silvia,
Gemma Carolina,
García Silvia I.,
Gianotti Tomas Fernández,
Dieuzeide Guillermo,
Roussos Adriana,
Tonietti Miriam,
Trifone Liliana,
Kanevsky Diego,
González Claudio D.,
Pirola Carlos J.
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
obesity
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.438
H-Index - 199
eISSN - 1930-739X
pISSN - 1930-7381
DOI - 10.1038/oby.2007.519
Subject(s) - overweight , odds ratio , allele , medicine , obesity , risk factor , serotonin transporter , population , endocrinology , genetics , biology , gene , serotonin , environmental health , receptor
Obesity and hypertension are increasing medical problems in adolescents. Serotonin transporter (5‐HTT) is involved in mood and eating disturbances. Encoded by the gene SLC6A4 , the promoter shows functional insertion/deletion alleles: long (L) and short (S). Because individuals who are carriers for the short version are known to be at risk for higher levels of anxiety, we hypothesized that this variant may be associated with overweight. Data and blood samples were collected from 172 adolescents out of a cross‐sectional, population‐based study of 934 high school students. To replicate the findings, we also included 119 outpatients from the Nutrition and Diabetes Section of the Children's County Hospital. We found that the S allele was associated with overweight (BMI > 85th percentile), being a risk factor for overweight independently of sex, age, and hypertension [odds ratio (OR): 1.85; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.13, 3.05; p < 0.02]. Additionally, in the outpatient study, compared with the homozygous LL subjects, S allele carriers showed a higher BMI z ‐score (1.47 ± 1.09 vs. 0.51 ± 1.4; p < 0.002) and were more frequent in overweight children. In conclusion, the S allele of the SLC6A4 promoter variant is associated with overweight being an independent genetic risk factor for obesity.