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Gene-environment interactions between education and body mass: Evidence from the UK and Finland

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  • Amin, Vikesh
  • Böckerman, Petri
  • Viinikainen, Jutta
  • Smart, Melissa C.
  • Bao, Yanchun
  • Kumari, Meena
  • Pitkänen, Niina
  • Lehtimäki, Terho
  • Raitakari, Olli
  • Pehkonen, Jaakko

Abstract

More education is associated with a lower body mass index (BMI) and likelihood of being overweight. However, since a large proportion of the variation in body mass is due to genetic makeup, it has been hypothesized that education may moderate the genetic risk. We estimate main associations between (i) education, (ii) genetic risk, and (iii) interactions between education and genetic risk on BMI and the probability of being overweight in the UK and Finland. The estimates show that education is negatively associated with BMI and overweightness, and genetic risk is positively associated. However, the interactions between education and genetic risk are small and statistically insignificant.

Suggested Citation

  • 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.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:socmed:v:195:y:2017:i:c:p:12-16
    DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2017.10.027
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. 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.
    2. Giorgio Brunello & Daniele Fabbri & Margherita Fort, 2013. "The Causal Effect of Education on Body Mass: Evidence from Europe," Journal of Labor Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 31(1), pages 195-223.
    3. Webbink, Dinand & Martin, Nicholas G. & Visscher, Peter M., 2010. "Does education reduce the probability of being overweight?," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 29(1), pages 29-38, January.
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    Cited by:

    1. Kim, Young-Joo & Daly, Vincent, 2019. "The Education Gradient in Health: The Case of Obesity in the UK and US," Economics Discussion Papers 2019-4, School of Economics, Kingston University London.
    2. 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).
    3. 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.
    4. 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.
    5. 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.
    6. Duncan, Roberto & Toledo, Patricia, 2019. "Inequality in body mass indices across countries: Evidence from convergence tests," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 33(C), pages 40-57.

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