6533b826fe1ef96bd1283e23

RESEARCH PRODUCT

Genetic endowments, parental resources and adult health: Evidence from the Young Finns Study

Niina PitkänenJaakko PehkonenOlli T. RaitakariJutta ViinikainenTerho LehtimäkiPetri Böckerman

subject

MaleGerontologyHealth (social science)Social Determinants of HealthHealth StatusbiomarkkeritGenome-wide association studyBody Mass Index0302 clinical medicineSurveys and QuestionnairesLongitudinal Studies030212 general & internal medicine050207 economicsFinlandgenetic risk scores05 social sciencesta3142riskitekijätIncomeFemaleSportsAdultparental resourcesgenetiikkaResource (biology)Kansanterveystiede ympäristö ja työterveys - Public health care science environmental and occupational healthympäristötekijätFamily income03 medical and health sciencesHistory and Philosophy of Science0502 economics and businessFood QualitymedicineHumansSocioeconomic statussosioekonomiset tekijätTriglyceridesAdult healthGenetic associationta511business.industryta1184Cholesterol HDLadult healthbiomarkersCholesterol LDLmedicine.diseaseObesityperhetaustaSocioeconomic Factorsmarkkeritgenome-wide association studiesSurvey data collectionterveyserotbusinessGenome-Wide Association StudyDemography

description

This paper uses longitudinal survey data linked to administrative registers to examine socioeconomic gradients in health, particularly whether the effects of genetic endowments interact with the socioeconomic resources of the parental household. We find that genetic risk scores contribute to adult health measured by biomarkers. This result is consistent with the findings from genome-wide association studies. Socioeconomic gradients in health differ based on biomarker and resource measures. Family education is negatively related to obesity and the waist-hip ratio, and family income is negatively related to low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and triglyceride levels. Parental resources do not modify the effects of genetic endowment on adult health. However, there is evidence for gene-family income interactions for triglyceride levels, particularly among women. peerReviewed

yearjournalcountryeditionlanguage
2017-01-01Social Science & Medicine
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2017.04.030