Peroxisome proliferator‑activated receptor γ (PPARγ) may play an important role in lipid metabolism directly or by inducing the transcription of target genes. The aim of the present study was to investigate the association between common variants at the PPARγ locus (C1431T and Pro12Ala polymorphisms) and lipid serum levels. The studied population consisted of 820 subjects randomly selected from the Prevention of Multiple Metabolic Disorders and Metabolic Syndrome in Jiangsu Province cohort population. All subjects were interviewed and blood samples were obtained for laboratory analysis and DNA extraction. The TaqMan single nucleotide polymorphism genotyping assay was used for polymorphism genotyping. Individual polymorphisms and haplotype data were available for analysis. The 12Ala allele was found to be associated with significantly increased levels of triglyceride (TG) (P<0.01), whilst the 1431T allele was found to be associated with significantly increased levels of TG, total cholesterol (TC) and non‑high‑density lipoprotein (non‑HDL) (P<0.01). When P‑C, the most common haplotype, was used as the reference group, the P‑T, A‑C and A‑T haplotypes were found to be associated with significantly increased levels of TG (P<0.01). In addition, the A‑T haplotype was shown to be associated with significantly increased levels of TC and non‑HDL (P<0.01). In conclusion these results suggest that PPARγ gene variability may increase the risk of dyslipidemia.