Genetic Influence

Although the gene(s) for abdominal obesity remain to be defined, it appears that at least part of this metabolic syndrome can be accounted for by a recessive gene that obeys the laws of Mendelian genetics. The Quebec Family Study evaluated 382 men and women from 100 families using CT scans to evaluate visceral adiposity. They recently reported evidence to suggest that a recessive gene at an autosomal locus was associated with high levels of abdominal visceral fat in this population. This did not explain all of the phenotypic variance, however, and other multifactorial genetic or environmental influences are also thought to be contributory.