Table 2 summarizes the adjusted mean level of BMI for each SNP. Six of the nine variants were statistically associated with BMI, with one additional SNP approaching statistical significance. The SNP most strongly associated with BMI localized to the FTO gene (rs1121980) (P < 0.0001). The MC4R rs17782313 SNP statistically interacted with sex (P = 0.02), whereby the minor allele was associated with higher BMI in women (β = 0.41 kg/m2 per copy of the minor allele; P = 0.0034), but no effect was observed in men (β = − 0.03 kg/m2 per copy of the minor allele; P = 0.83). Similar interaction effects were observed for total (P = 0.024) and abdominal (P = 0.046) adipose mass.
