Although no genome-wide signals for the different components of the metabolic syndrome were detected, variants in the following genes were associated with the components of metabolic syndrome at p < 0.00001: (i) waist circumference: PARD3B, CTD-2269F5.1, CSMD1, ADAMTSL3; (ii) low HDL cholesterol: PPIL6, SMPD2, MICAL1, BAALC, ESRP1, DPY19L4; (iii) hypertension: ANKS1B; (iv) high fasting glucose: CNNM2, NT5C2, TEX2 and lincRNA RP3-390M24.1 (Supplemental Figure S2). Here, BAALC is linked to metabolic syndrome.