“…The candidate gene methylation studies have focussed on a range of genes implicated in obesity, appetite control and/or metabolism, insulin signalling, immunity, growth, circadian clock regulation and imprinted genes, and assessed their relationship with a variety of obesity markers. Collectively, these studies have identified lower methylation of tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNFα) in PBL 51 , pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase 4 (PDK4) in muscle 52 and leptin (LEP) in whole blood (WB) 53 and increased methylation of proopiomelanocortin (POMC) in WB 54 , PPARγ coactivator 1 alpha (PGC1α) 52 in muscle, and CLOCK and aryl hydrocarbon receptor nuclear translocator-like (BMAL1) 55 genes in PBL in obese compared to lean individuals. Associations between BMI, adiposity, and waist circumference, with methylation in PDK4 in muscle 52 , melanin-concentrating hormone receptor 1 (MCHR1) in WB 57 , and the serotonin transporter (SLC6A4) gene 56 , the androgen receptor (AR) 58 , 11 bhydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 2 (HSD2) 59 , period circadian clock 2 (PER2) 55 and glucocorticoid receptor (GR) 59 in PBL have also been reported.…”