Beta2-adrenoceptor (beta2-ADR)-mediated vasodilatation decreases vascular reactivity and blood pressure (BP) and chromosome 5 where its gene (ADRB2R) resides and shows linkage to hypertension (HT). A Gln27Glu ADRB2R variant confers resistance to agonist-induced desensitization and enhanced vasodilator response to isoprenaline. Therefore, we carried out a case-control study in a cohort of HT and normotensive (NT) Anglo-Celtic Australian white subjects whose parents had a similar BP status as the subjects. Glu27 frequency was 0.41 in 108 HT and 0.42 in 141 NT (chi2 = 0.05, P = .82). Within the HT group, the Glu27 allele was more prevalent in 61 subjects who were overweight (body mass index [BMI] > or = 25 kg/m2) compared with 41 who were lean (BMI <25 kg/m2); ie, 0.49 v 0.31, respectively (chi2 = 6.4, P = .012). Furthermore, Glu27 tracked with elevation in BMI in these subjects: 24 +/- 4 kg/m2, 27 +/- 5 kg/m2, and 28 +/- 5 kg/m2 for Gln/Gln, Gln/Glu, and Glu/Glu, respectively (P = .0058 by one-way ANOVA). Thus, the Gln27Glu beta2-ADR variant is excluded in HT, but might influence body weight.