Lay summary
Type 2 diabetes (T2D) and obesity are major health concerns in Maori and Pacific people. In both conditions, genetic factors strongly influence the impact of lifestyle on individual risk. Obesity surgery can treat morbid obesity but carries risk of complications and high cost, so identifying who will not respond to surgery is important. Obesity surgery fails in some people due to persistent overeating. Several genetic variants have been associated with T2D, obesity/satiety in overseas studies, which have not been examined in NZ Maori or Pacific people. We aim to identify genes that predispose to obesity and T2D in a case-control study of Maori and Pacific people, and then to examine whether certain obesity/satiety genes modify the response to obesity surgery through effects on appetite. Identification of predictive genes for T2D and obesity risk, and response to obesity surgery may be useful in improving health outcomes in Maori and Pacific people.