Background: Obesity is a major public health issue caused by an abnormal increase in adipose tissue and is linked to increased insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. Diabetes is a metabolic condition characterized by high glucose levels that is caused by insulin deficiency and alterations in insulin action mechanisms. Many of the genes associated with obesity are expressed in the central nervous system. Ghrelin, the endogenous ligand of the growth hormone secretagogue receptor, has a single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP), rs4684677, which is associated with insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome. Adipose tissue secretes hormones known as adipokines, which include resistin and adiponectin, encoded by the ADIPOQ gene. SNPs in the RETN gene (rs1862513) have been linked to obesity and diabetes. Adiponectin is a cytokine generated from adipose tissue, and its polymorphism (rs2241766) increases the incidence of type 2 diabetes. Ghrelin binds to its receptor and promotes the expression of neuropeptide Y (NPY), thereby increasing food intake. NPY (rs16147) polymorphism has been linked to diabetes and obesity. The melanocortin 4 receptor (MC4R) is a regulator of energy balance and appetite. MC4R (rs17782313) polymorphism was associated with an increased risk of obesity. Methods: Our study included 99 obese with diabetes and 99 non-obese patients with diabetes. RETN (rs1862513), GHRL (rs4684677), MC4R (rs17782313), NPY (rs16147), and ADIPOQ (rs2241766) genes were genotyped using real-time polymerase chain reaction. Results: As a result, the RETN, MC4R, and NPY polymorphisms showed statistically significant differences in genotype/allele distributions between groups. Conclusions: In conclusion, by representing data from the Turkish population for the first time, this study offers fresh insights and provides a unique perspective on the impact of the indicated genes on obesity, thereby contributing to the understanding of a hitherto unstudied ethnic group.
Sezgin et al. (2026) studied this question.