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Genetic vulnerability to diabetes and obesity: Does education offset the risk?

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  • Liu, S.Y.
  • Walter, S.
  • Marden, J.
  • Rehkopf, D.H.
  • Kubzansky, L.D.
  • Nguyen, T.
  • Glymour, M.M.

Abstract

The prevalence of type 2 diabetes (T2D) and obesity has recently increased dramatically. These common diseases are likely to arise from the interaction of multiple genetic, socio-demographic and environmental risk factors. While previous research has found genetic risk and education to be strong predictors of these diseases, few studies to date have examined their joint effects. This study investigates whether education modifies the association between genetic background and risk for type 2 diabetes (T2D) and obesity. Using data from non-Hispanic Whites in the Health and Retirement Study (HRS, n = 8398), we tested whether education modifies genetic risk for obesity and T2D, offsetting genetic effects; whether this effect is larger for individuals who have high risk for other (unobserved) reasons, i.e., at higher quantiles of HbA1c and BMI; and whether effects differ by gender. We measured T2D risk using Hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) level, and obesity risk using body-mass index (BMI). We constructed separate genetic risk scores (GRS) for obesity and diabetes respectively based on the most current available information on the single nucleotide polymorphism (SNPs) confirmed as genome-wide significant predictors for BMI (29 SNPs) and diabetes risk (39 SNPs). Linear regression models with years of schooling indicate that the effect of genetic risk on HbA1c is smaller among people with more years of schooling and larger among those with less than a high school (HS) degree compared to HS degree-holders. Quantile regression models show that the GRS × education effect systematically increased along the HbA1c outcome distribution; for example the GRS × years of education interaction coefficient was −0.01 (95% CI = −0.03, 0.00) at the 10th percentile compared to −0.03 (95% CI = −0.07, 0.00) at the 90th percentile. These results suggest that education may be an important socioeconomic source of heterogeneity in responses to genetic vulnerability to T2D.

Suggested Citation

  • Liu, S.Y. & Walter, S. & Marden, J. & Rehkopf, D.H. & Kubzansky, L.D. & Nguyen, T. & Glymour, M.M., 2015. "Genetic vulnerability to diabetes and obesity: Does education offset the risk?," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 127(C), pages 150-158.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:socmed:v:127:y:2015:i:c:p:150-158
    DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2014.09.009
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    2. Tamara Power & Ray Kelly & Kim Usher & Leah East & Jo Travaglia & Hamish Robertson & Ann Wong & Debra Jackson, 2020. "Living with diabetes and disadvantage: A qualitative, geographical case study," Journal of Clinical Nursing, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 29(13-14), pages 2710-2722, July.
    3. Amin, Vikesh & Böckerman, Petri & Viinikainen, Jutta & Smart, Melissa C. & Bao, Yanchun & Kumari, Meena & Pitkänen, Niina & Lehtimäki, Terho & Raitakari, Olli & Pehkonen, Jaakko, 2017. "Gene-environment interactions between education and body mass: Evidence from the UK and Finland," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 195(C), pages 12-16.
    4. Amin, Vikesh & Behrman, Jere R. & Fletcher, Jason M. & Flores, Carlos A. & Flores-Lagunes, Alfonso & Kohler, Hans-Peter, 2019. "Mental Health, Schooling Attainment and Polygenic Scores: Are There Significant Gene-Environment Associations?," GLO Discussion Paper Series 362, Global Labor Organization (GLO).
    5. Vikesh Amin & Jere R. Behrman & Jason M. Fletcher & Carlos A. Flores & Alfonso Flores-Lagunes & Hans-Peter Kohler, 2020. "Mental Health, Schooling Attainment and Polygenic Scores: Are There Significant Genetic-Environmental Associations?," PIER Working Paper Archive 20-007, Penn Institute for Economic Research, Department of Economics, University of Pennsylvania.
    6. Mirjam Frank & Nico Dragano & Marina Arendt & Andreas J Forstner & Markus M Nöthen & Susanne Moebus & Raimund Erbel & Karl-Heinz Jöckel & Börge Schmidt, 2019. "A genetic sum score of risk alleles associated with body mass index interacts with socioeconomic position in the Heinz Nixdorf Recall Study," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 14(8), pages 1-14, August.
    7. Bierut, Laura & Biroli, Pietro & Galama, Titus J. & Thom, Kevin, 2023. "Challenges in studying the interplay of genes and environment. A study of childhood financial distress moderating genetic predisposition for peak smoking," Journal of Economic Psychology, Elsevier, vol. 98(C).
    8. Amin, Vikesh & Dunn, Paul & Spector, Tim, 2018. "Does education attenuate the genetic risk of obesity? Evidence from U.K. Twins," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 31(C), pages 200-208.

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