The PNPLA3 rs738409 C>G variant interacts with changes in body weight over time to aggravate liver steatosis, but reduces the risk of incident type 2 diabetes

Aims/hypothesis The rs738409 C>G variant of the patatin-like phospholipase domain containing 3 gene (PNPLA3) increases the risk of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) with no predisposition for insulin resistance. In this study, we aimed to investigate the influence of PNPLA3 polymorphisms on liver fat content (LFC) and glucose metabolic variables, and the associations between these, during the natural course of body weight changes in a Chinese adult cohort.