For LEPR Q223R polymorphism, thirteen studies with 5,282 cases and 6,140 controls were used to assess the association between this genetic polymorphism and BC susceptibility. We failed to find a significant association between this polymorphism and BC risk among the five genetic models in overall populations. However, in the subgroup analysis by ethnicity, we found LEPR Q223R polymorphism was associated with a decreased risk of BC among Asians under the five genetic models: G versus A (OR = 0.532, 95% CI = 0.311-0.856, P = 0.009), GG versus AA (OR = 0.233, 95% CI = 0.092–0.59, P = 0.002), GA versus AA (OR = 0.294, 95% CI = 0.124–0.699, P = 0.006), GG versus AA+AG (OR = 0.635, 95% CI = 0.521–0.787, P < 0.001) and GA+GG versus AA (OR = 0.242, 95% CI = 0.097–0.607, P = 0.003), while no meaningful correlation was observed in Caucasians. In addition, we did not observe any association between LEPR Q223R polymorphism and BC risk among the subgroups of population-based controls or hospital-based controls (Table 3) (Figure 3).