Research

Hormonal

The 4.5-kb allele of the BclI restriction fragment length polymorphism at the glucocorticoid receptor (GRL) gene locus is associated with higher abdominal visceral fat (AVF) area, independent of total body fat mass.

If you have a family history of central obesity, your genetics may predispose you to storing fat viscerally, especially if you are lean. This is not a life sentence, but it means you must be vigilant about maintaining a healthy body fat percentage, as the genetic effect is most pronounced in leaner individuals. Focus on consistent physical activity and metabolic health rather than just scale weight.

ModerateSupportsMEDIUM confidence
The less frequent 4.5-kb allele was found to be associated with a higher abdominal visceral fat (AVF) area independently of total body fat mass (4.5/4.5 vs. 2.3/2.3 kb genotype; men: 190.7 +/- 30.1 vs. 150.7 +/- 33.3 cm2, p=0.04; women: 132.7 +/- 37.3 vs. 101.3 +/- 34.5 cm2, p=0.06).
B Buemann et al. · Obesity Research · 1997

Why this rating

Observational study with a moderate sample size (n=152) and statistically significant p-values, but limited generalizability to other ethnicities.

Source

Abdominal Visceral Fat is Associated with a <i>Bcl</i>I Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism at the Glucocorticoid Receptor Gene Locus

B Buemann et al. · Obesity Research · 1997

DOI 10.1002/j.1550-8528.1997.tb00292.x

cross_sectional · n=152Cited 189×
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DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10

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