Background  To determine if the common Pro12Ala polymorphism (rs1801282) of the peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor (PPARG) gene is associated with the metabolic syndrome (MetS) or with its individual components in middle‐aged Swedish individuals. Methods  MetS was defined according to the National Cholesterol Education Program/Adult Panel III (NCEP/ATP III), the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) and the European Group for the Study of Insulin Resistance (EGIR) criteria in a population‐based sample of nearly 5000 subjects participating in the Malmö Diet and Cancer‐cardiovascular arm. Results  Of the subjects included in the analysis, 21.8, 29.4 and 20.4% had MetS according to the NCEP/ATP III, IDF and EGIR (only in subjects without diabetes) definitions, respectively. The Pro12Ala was not associated with MetS or with its individual components. These results were similar when patients with diabetes were excluded. Hypertensive and obese ala‐carriers had lower fasting glucose and hypertensive ala‐carriers also had lower level triglycerides (P < 0.05). Conclusions  Our data do not support a major role for the Pro12Ala variant of the PPARG gene in MetS and its individual components. The modest difference in triglyceride and glucose levels, restricted to hypertensive and obese subjects in our cohort, suggests that the polymorphism has a minor effect on glucose and lipid metabolism, particularly in individuals at risk for gluco‐metabolic disturbances.