Uncoupling protein-2 gene polymorphisms are associated with obesity in Hungarian children

Aim To determine the frequency of common polymorphisms of genes associated with energy metabolism among normal weight and overweight/obese children to look for effects on childhood obesity. Methods Among 709 overweight/obese and 637 normal weight children (age 617years), anthropometric measurements were carried out and genotyping for the following gene polymorphisms: 3-adrenoreceptor Trp64Arg, uncoupling protein (UCP) -1 3826 A/G, UCP-2 866G/A and exon 8 del/ins, UCP-3 55 C/T and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor- Pro12Ala. Results On multivariate regression analysis adjusted for age and gender heterozygosity and homozygosity for the UCP-2 866 A variant was associated with an odds ratio (OR) for obesity of 0.69 (95% CI: 0.520.92; p=0.013) and 0.50 (95% CI: 0.320.79; p=0.003), respectively, compared with G/G homozygotes. Heterozygotes and homozygotes for the UCP-2 exon 8 ins allele had an OR for obesity of 1.66 (95% CI: 1.242.23; p=0.001) and 2.12 (95% CI: 1.233.63; p=0.006), respectively, compared with del/del homozygotes. There were no significant differences in obesity risk in association with the other examined gene polymorphisms. Conclusion Common polymorphisms of the UCP-2 gene might influence the propensity to overweight/obesity in Hungarian children.