rs9939609
rs9939609 is a non-coding variant in the first intron of FTO (fat mass and obesity-associated gene) on chromosome 16, among the most replicated common variants associated with body weight. The A risk allele is associated with roughly 20-40% higher odds of obesity and about 0.25-0.41 kg/m2 higher BMI per allele, acting not through the FTO enzyme itself but through long-range regulatory effects on the nearby IRX3/IRX5 genes that influence hypothalamic appetite regulation and preference for energy-dense food. It anchors, together with MC4R rs17782313, common assessment of weight and appetite tendency.
Traits rs9939609 reads
Gene
Reference databases
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