FTO and obesity due to melanocortin 4 receptor deficiency: This could be attributed to the significant role of ethnicity variations in influencing the genetic component of individuals and their susceptibility to obesity.12 Li et al reported significant differences in FTO risk allele frequencies and gene linkage patterns among the Chinese population, with risk alleles being common in Europeans but not in the Chinese.10 These differences suggest an evolutionary divergence that might reflect a history of negative selection against the FTO risk alleles in the Chinese population.