W64R MUTATION IN BETA-3-ADRENERGIC RECEPTOR GENE AND WEIGHT IN A LARGE POPULATION-SAMPLE

We have investigated the W64R (Trp64Arg) mutation in the beta-3-adrene rgic receptor in 2270 healthy British males aged 50-61 y. The frequenc y of the rare R allele was 0.07 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.06-0.0 8). The men showed an absence of association between W64R genotype and weight or height, both in the whole sample and in each quintile of th e body mass index (BMI), and there was no association with tendency to gain weight. The W64R heterozygous state appears not to be a major co ntributing factor to obesity in the general population.