['The risk factor pattern underlying a parental history of myocardial infarction (MI) is incompletely understood. We examined whether a parental history of clinically verified early MI may promote development of insulin resistance, obesity and the metabolic syndrome (MetS).', 'One hundred and seventy-four offspring to patients with clinically verified MI before 60 years of age in the population-based prospective Malmo Diet and Cancer (MDC) study were recruited (positive parental history). As controls, we included 174 offspring of MDC participants without MI during 14 years of follow-up in the MDC (negative parental history). MetS was defined according to the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III (NCEP ATP III) guidelines, obesity as BMI greater than 30\u200a kg/m and insulin resistance as the top quartile of homeostasis model assessment index in the 348 included offspring (mean age 44 years, 49% women).', 'The odds ratio, 95% confidence interval, for MetS in positive parental history as compared with negative parental history was 2.05, 1.06-4.00 (P\u200a=\u200a0.034) after adjustment for age, sex, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL) and smoking. positive parental history was also independently associated with obesity 2.50, 1.34-4.66 (P\u200a=\u200a0.003), abdominal obesity 2.01, 1.21-3.33 (P\u200a=\u200a0.007) and insulin resistance 1.97, 1.14-3.40 (P\u200a=\u200a0.014), whereas there was no association with LDL and smoking. All of these relationships were stronger in men than in women.'] Is a clinically confirmed family history for early myocardial infarction associated with increased risk of obesity , insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome?