Association of FTO gene polymorphism with dietary patterns, psychological status, and physical activity behavior among adults with genetic predisposition to obesity

Obesity is influenced by both behavioral and genetic factors, with the FTO rs9939609 polymorphism playing a known role in increasing susceptibility to weight gain. This study aimed to examine whether structured lifestyle interventions could influence di- etary intake, psychological status, and physical activity, regardless of FTO genotype. A total of 80 adults, including normal weight and overweight individuals, were geno- typed and categorized into control and intervention groups. Dietary intake, psycholog- ical health, and activity levels were measured using validated tools before and after the program. The TT genotype was the most common (53.8%), followed by AT (40.0%) and AA (6.3%), reflecting regional trends. Participants in the intervention group showed statistically significant reductions in total energy (Z = -3.92, p < 0.001), car- bohydrate (Z = -3.92, p < 0.001), protein (Z = -3.88, p < 0.001), and fat intake (Z = - 3.92, p < 0.001). Psychological outcomes also improved, with significant reductions in stress (Z = -3.20, p < 0.001), anxiety (Z = -3.24, p < 0.001), and depression (Z = - 3.13, p < 0.001) scores among the obese intervention group. Although the Chi-Square test did not show a significant association between FTO genotype and physical activity (χ² = 1.019, p > 0.05), a descriptive increase in moderate activity was observed among AT carriers post-intervention. These results suggest that lifestyle interventions can be effective regardless of genetic predisposition, reinforcing the importance of behavior- focused strategies in public health nutrition.