The BDNF Val66Met Polymorphism and Health-Related Quality of Life in Youth With Obesity

Background: The brain derived-neurotrophic factor (BDNF) Val66Met polymorphism causes functional changes in BDNF and is associated with obesity and some psychiatric disorders, but its relationship to health-related quality of life (HRQoL) remains unknown. This study examined, in youth with obesity, whether carriers of the BDNF Val66-met polymorphism Met-alleles (A/A or A/G) differed from non-carriers (G/G) on HRQoL. Methods: Participants were 187 inactive, post-pubertal adolescents with obesity. Ninety-nine youth were carriers of the homozygous Val/Val (G/G) alleles and 88 were carriers of the Val/Met (G/A) or Met/Met (A/A) alleles. Blood samples were drawn in the morning after an overnight fast for genotyping. HRQoL was measured using the Pediatric-Quality of Life core version. Results: Controlling for age, sex, parental education, body mass index, and pubertal stage, analyses of covariance showed that, compared to carriers of the Val66Met Val (G/G) alleles, carriers of the Val/Met (G/A) or Met/Met (A/A) variants reported significantly higher Physical-HRQoL (p=0.03), Social-HRQoL (p=0.04), School-HRQoL (p=0.05), Total-HRQoL (p=0.03), and a trend for Psychosocial-HRQoL (p=.06). Conclusions: Future research is needed to confirm findings and to determine whether carriers of the BDNF Val66Met homozygous Val (G/G) alleles may be at risk of diminished HRQoL, information that can inform early screening and intervention efforts in a high-risk population of youth with obesity.