Context: Myostatin (MSTN) is a member of the TGF-beta superfamily of signal transduction proteins, which plays an important role in muscular growth and lipid metabolism. Objective: To study the association of myostatin gene polymorphisms with obesity in Chinese north Han human subjects. Design: 297 healthy and 606 over-weight/obesity Chinese north Han subjects were selected as healthy control group and overweight/obesity group, respectively. The methods of DNA Sequencing, Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (RFLP) and TaqMan (R) probe were used to screen myostatin gene SNPs and clarify genotype in every individual. Results: Total 11 SNPs in MSTN gene were identified by DNA sequencing and three SNPs including rs35781413 (G/A), rs3791783 (A/G) and rs3791782 (A/G) were selected for further study in total 903 samples. The results showed that the frequency of AA genotype of rs3791783 A/C SNP was significantly higher (56.4% vs. 50.8%) and the frequency GG genotype was significantly lower (3.2% vs. 6.7%) in overweight/obese patients than in normal weight subjects. A logistic regression analysis under a recessive inheritance model (AA + AG vs.GG) demonstrated that the Odd ratio for AA + AG vs.GG were 1.985 (95% CI 1.078- 3.643; P = 0.029). Among three genotypes of rs3791783, the subjects with AA genotype have much more higher body weight, BMI, waist circumference, TC. TG and LDL-C than those with GG genotype. Conclusions: Our data firstly suggest that genetic variant rs3791783 A/G in myostatin gene are associated with obesity. The A allele carriers in rs3791783 SNP have an increased susceptibility to obesity compared with the G allele carriers. Participants with AA genotype in rs3791783 SNP site will have higher risk suffered from overweight or obesity than those with GG genotype. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.