Genetic Variants of Obesity in Malaysia: A Scoping Review

Obesity is a pressing public health issue in Malaysia, involving not only excess weight but also complex metabolic and physiological changes. Addressing these complexities requires comprehensive strategies, including understanding the population-level differences in obesity susceptibility. This review aims to compile the genetic variants studied among Malaysians and emphasize their implications for obesity risk. Relevant articles published up to March 2024 were extracted from the Scopus, PubMed, and ScienceDirect databases. The review process was conducted in accordance with the PRISMA-ScR guidelines. From an initial pool of 579 articles, 35 of these were selected for the final review. The identified gene variants, including (K656N), (G2548A-Indian only), (rs17366568), (45bp-I/D), (rs4994), (rs3827103), (pro12Ala-Malay only), (intron 2 VNTR), (rs28362491), and (rs174547-Indian only), showed significant associations with obesity as measured by the respective studies. Overall, more intensive genetic research is needed, starting with population-based profiling of genetic data on obesity, including among children. Sociocultural contexts and environmental factors influence variations in genetic elements, highlighting the need for targeted interventions to mitigate the impacts of obesity in the population.