Children with a parent who has a specific chronic health condition are at least 100% more likely to have the same condition themselves. To assess the role of genetic mechanisms in generating these strong correlations, I estimate models using a sample of approximately 2,400 adoptees, and find that genetic transmission accounts for only 20%-30% of the baseline associations.
Paper. HT: Jason Shafrin.
The worse the chronic condition the more chance of dying off
Things like diabetes and arthritis could get worse and worse
Diabetes indicators would be one of the easiest to solve
Not with America’s love of food and fatness
Hmmm McDonalds
Efficient natural selection!
Darwin would be proud
If anything he would be upset at the amount our population has grown to
This should make preventative care easier
They could treat for things at birth now and begin monitoring right away!
Genes of course matter! They set the direction for our lives
It’s amazing to think that our ancestors survived so many things to get where we are
Yet we haven’t even hit our peak
“For instance, many chronic conditions appear or are exacerbated by lifestyle considerations such as patient diet and exercise habits.”
Which will only make it worse
We are our parents after all!
*Shudder*
Epigenetics also plays a role in gene expression. Past studies of identical twin siblings have looked at differences in diseases and conditions for people with the same genetic makeup. For instance, one women may get breast cancer even though her identical twin sister doesn’t. Scientists are now searching for reasons why one gene expresses itself. The answer is often environment.