Influence of K656N Polymorphism of the Leptin Receptor Gene on Obesity-Related Traits in Nondiabetic Afro-Caribbean Individuals

Ethnic variations have been reported in allelic frequencies of the leptin receptor gene ( ) with population-specific effects. We aimed to explore the association of polymorphisms with obesity, metabolic syndrome (MetS), and leptin levels in Afro-Caribbean nondiabetic subjects. Genotypic analysis of three polymorphisms (K109R, Q223R, and K656N) was performed using TaqMan allelic discrimination assays. Associations were measured with phenotypic variables, including body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), and leptin levels. Linear and logistic regressions were performed to evaluate the effects of single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Mean age was 46 ± 12 years. Among the 375 participants, 29.3% were obese, 36.3% had abdominal obesity, and 18.1% had MetS. Significant association between BMI (