Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Short Communication
  • Published:

The Lewis blood group—a new genetic marker of obesity

International Journal of Obesity volume 29, pages 540–542 (2005)Cite this article

Abstract

In a cross-sectional epidemiological study including 3290 men aged 53–75 y, mean=63, we tested the hypothesis that the Lewis phenotype Le(a−b−) is a genetic marker of obesity. All men were Lewis typed and measurements were made of height, weight, neck circumference, and hip fat fold. Obesity was defined as a body mass index ≥30 kg/m2. Totally 291 men (8.8%) were obese; 9.6% of the men had the Le(a−b−) phenotype. Le(a−b−) men had a higher prevalence of obesity than others, 15.6 vs 8.1%, odds ratio (95% confidence interval): 2.1(1.5–2.9), P<0.001. The etiological fraction, that is, the excess prevalence of obesity in the study population due to the Le(a−b−) phenotype, was approximately 10%. The frequency of the Le(a−b−) phenotype may vary substantially in different populations. Identification of this new genetic marker of obesity may, for example, contribute to the explanation of individual and ethnic differences in the prevalence of obesity.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

  • Purchase on Springer Link
  • Instant access to full article PDF
Buy now

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Figure 1

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Mourant AE, Kopec AC, Damaniewska-Sobczak K . The Distribution of the Human Blood Groups and Other Polymorphisms. Oxford University Press: London; 1976.

    Google Scholar 

  2. Salomaa V, Pankow J, Heiss G, Cakir B, Eckfeldt JH, Ellison RC, Myers RH, Hiller KM, Brantley KR, Morris TL, Weston BW . Genetic background of Lewis negative blood group phenotype and its association with atherosclerotic disease in the NHLPI Family Heart Study. J Int Med 2000; 247: 689–698.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Hein HO, Sørensen H, Suadicani P, Gyntelberg F . The Lewis blood group—a new genetic marker of ischaemic heart disease. J Int Med 1992; 232: 461–487.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Suadicani P, Hein HO, Gyntelberg F . Weight changes and risk of ischaemic heart disease for middle aged and elderly men. An 8-year follow-up in the Copenhagen Male Study. J Cardiovasc Risk 1997; 4: 25–32.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Hein HO, Suadicani P, Sørensen H, Gyntelberg F . Alcohol consumption, Lewis phenotypes, and risk of ischaemic heart disease. Lancet 1993; 341: 392–396.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Hein HO, Suadicani P, Gyntelberg F . Lewis phenotypes, leisure time physical activity, and risk of ischaemic heart disease: an 11 year follow up in the Copenhagen male study. Heart 2001; 85: 159–164.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Petit JM, Morvan Y, Mansuy-Collingnon S, Viviani V, Vaillant G, Matejka G, Aho S, Guingier F, Brun JM . Hypertryglyridaemia and Lewis (a−b−) phenotype in non-insulin-dependent diabetic patients. Diabetes Metab 1997; 23: 202–204.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Clausen J, Hein HO, Suadicani P, Gyntelberg F, Pedersen O . Lewis phenotypes and the insulin resistance syndrome in young healthy white men and women. Am J Hypertens 1995; 11: 1060–1066.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Gyntelberg F . One- and two-years incidence of myocardial infarction in Copenhagen males aged 40–59. Dan Med Bull 1975; 22: 81–84.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Norusis M, SPSS Inc.. SPSS for Windows Base System User's Guide. Release 7.5, Chicago, IL, USA 1997.

  11. Norusis M, SPSS Inc.. SPSS Professional Statistics 7.5, Chicago, IL, USA 1997.

  12. Skov F, Eriksen M, Hagerup L . Distribution of the ABO, MNS, P, Rhesus, Lutheran, Kell, Lewis, and Duffy blood groups and frequency of irregular red cell antibodies in a population of Danes aged fifty years and a population of Danes aged seventy years. From the Glostrup population studies. Acta Path Microbiol Scand B Microbiol Immunol 1970; 78: 553–559.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

This study received grants from The King Christian X's Foundation, The Danish Medical Research Council, The Danish Heart Foundation and The Else & Mogens Wedell-Wedellsborg Foundation.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Epidemiological Research Unit, Clinic of Environmental and Occupational Medicine, Bispebjerg University Hospital, Copenhagen, NV, Denmark

    H O Hein, P Suadicani & F Gyntelberg

  2. Research Centre for Prevention and Health, Glostrup University Hospital, Glostrup, Denmark

    H O Hein

Authors
  1. H O Hein
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. P Suadicani
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. F Gyntelberg
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Consortia

The Copenhagen Male Study

Corresponding author

Correspondence to H O Hein.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Hein, H., Suadicani, P., Gyntelberg, F. et al. The Lewis blood group—a new genetic marker of obesity. Int J Obes 29, 540–542 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ijo.0802923

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ijo.0802923

Keywords

This article is cited by

Search

Advanced search

Quick links