BRIEF REPORT Genetic Variations at the Endocannabinoid Type 1 Receptor Gene (CNR1) Are Associated with Obesity Phenotypes in Men

Context: The endocannabinoid system modulates food intake and body weight in animal models. Treatment with the cannabinoid type 1 receptor blocker, rimonabant, reduces body weight in obese individuals. Objective: The aim of this study was to determine whether single nucleotide polymorphisms of the gene encoding cannabinoid type 1 receptor, CNR1, are associated with body fat mass and distribution in two independent samples of white European adult men. Design, Setting, and Participants: The 3813A/G and 4895A/G single nucleotide polymorphisms at the exon 4 of CNR1 were genotyped in 930 participantstotheOlivettiProspectiveHeartStudy(OPHS)inSouthern Italyandin216participantstotheWandsworthHeartandStrokeStudy intheUnitedKingdom.Retrospectiveanalysiswasalsoperformedonan OPHS subsample (n 360) for which anthropometric data from 1987 and 1994–1995 examinations were available.