In the present study, our main objective was to investigate the potential link between HDL-c levels and hormonal profiles (insulin, adipocytokines, ghrelin) in different subsets of obese patients: 1) the metabolically abnormal obese (MAO) with metabolic syndrome and the typical metabolic dyslipidaemia; 2) the metabolically healthy obese (MHO) with no metabolic syndrome and with a normal lipid profile; and 3) the low HDL-c obese (LHO) with no metabolic syndrome but with an isolated low HDL-c level; in comparison to 4) healthy and lean control subjects. The gene discussed is INS; the disease is metabolic syndrome.