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Associations between common genetic variants and income provide insights about the socio-economic health gradient

Author

Listed:
  • Hyeokmoon Kweon

    (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam)

  • Casper A. P. Burik

    (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam)

  • Yuchen Ning

    (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam)

  • Rafael Ahlskog

    (Uppsala University)

  • Charley Xia

    (University of Edinburgh)

  • Erik Abner

    (University of Tartu)

  • Yanchun Bao

    (University of Essex)

  • Laxmi Bhatta

    (Norwegian University of Science and Technology)

  • Tariq O. Faquih

    (Leiden University Medical Center)

  • Maud Feijter

    (Erasmus MC University Medical Center)

  • Paul Fisher

    (University of Essex)

  • Andrea Gelemanović

    (University of Split School of Medicine)

  • Alexandros Giannelis

    (University of Minnesota Twin Cities)

  • Jouke-Jan Hottenga

    (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam)

  • Bita Khalili

    (University of Lausanne
    Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics)

  • Yunsung Lee

    (Norwegian Institute of Public Health)

  • Ruifang Li-Gao

    (Leiden University Medical Center)

  • Jaan Masso

    (University of Tartu)

  • Ronny Myhre

    (Norwegian Institute of Public Health)

  • Teemu Palviainen

    (University of Helsinki)

  • Cornelius A. Rietveld

    (Erasmus University Rotterdam
    Erasmus University Rotterdam)

  • Alexander Teumer

    (University Medicine Greifswald)

  • Renske M. Verweij

    (Erasmus University Rotterdam)

  • Emily A. Willoughby

    (University of Minnesota Twin Cities)

  • Esben Agerbo

    (Aarhus University
    Aarhus University
    Aarhus University)

  • Sven Bergmann

    (University of Lausanne
    Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics)

  • Dorret I. Boomsma

    (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
    Amsterdam UMC
    Amsterdam UMC
    Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam)

  • Anders D. Børglum

    (Aarhus University
    Aarhus University
    Center for Genome Analysis and Personalized Medicine)

  • Ben M. Brumpton

    (Norwegian University of Science and Technology
    Norwegian University of Science and Technology
    Trondheim University Hospital)

  • Neil Martin Davies

    (Norwegian University of Science and Technology
    University College London
    University of Bristol)

  • Tõnu Esko

    (University of Tartu)

  • Scott D. Gordon

    (Queensland Institute of Medical Research)

  • Georg Homuth

    (University Medicine Greifswald)

  • M. Arfan Ikram

    (Erasmus MC University Medical Center)

  • Magnus Johannesson

    (Stockholm School of Economics)

  • Jaakko Kaprio

    (University of Helsinki)

  • Michael P. Kidd

    (RMIT University
    Feng Chia University)

  • Zoltán Kutalik

    (University of Lausanne
    Unisante)

  • Alex S. F. Kwong

    (University of Bristol
    University of Edinburgh)

  • James J. Lee

    (University of Minnesota Twin Cities)

  • Annemarie I. Luik

    (Erasmus MC University Medical Center
    Trimbos Institute—Netherlands Institute for Mental Health and Addiction)

  • Per Magnus

    (Norwegian Institute of Public Health)

  • Pedro Marques-Vidal

    (Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV)
    University of Lausanne)

  • Nicholas G. Martin

    (University of Bristol)

  • Dennis O. Mook-Kanamori

    (Erasmus MC University Medical Center
    Leiden University Medical Center)

  • Preben Bo Mortensen

    (Aarhus University
    Aarhus University
    Aarhus University)

  • Sven Oskarsson

    (Uppsala University)

  • Emil M. Pedersen

    (Aarhus University
    Aarhus University
    Aarhus University)

  • Ozren Polašek

    (University of Split School of Medicine
    Algebra University)

  • Frits R. Rosendaal

    (Leiden University Medical Center)

  • Melissa C. Smart

    (University of Essex)

  • Harold Snieder

    (University of Groningen and University Medical Center Groningen)

  • Peter J. Most

    (University of Groningen and University Medical Center Groningen)

  • Peter Vollenweider

    (Trimbos Institute—Netherlands Institute for Mental Health and Addiction
    Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV))

  • Henry Völzke

    (University Medicine Greifswald)

  • Gonneke Willemsen

    (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
    Inholland University of Applied Sciences)

  • Jonathan P. Beauchamp

    (George Mason University)

  • Thomas A. DiPrete

    (Columbia University)

  • Richard Karlsson Linnér

    (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
    Universiteit Leiden)

  • Qiongshi Lu

    (University of Wisconsin–Madison)

  • Tim T. Morris

    (University College London)

  • Aysu Okbay

    (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam)

  • K. Paige Harden

    (University of Texas at Austin)

  • Abdel Abdellaoui

    (University of Amsterdam)

  • W. David Hill

    (University of Edinburgh
    University of Edinburgh)

  • Ronald Vlaming

    (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam)

  • Daniel J. Benjamin

    (University of California, Los Angeles
    UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine
    National Bureau of Economic Research)

  • Philipp D. Koellinger

    (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
    DeSci Foundation)

Abstract

We conducted a genome-wide association study on income among individuals of European descent (N = 668,288) to investigate the relationship between socio-economic status and health disparities. We identified 162 genomic loci associated with a common genetic factor underlying various income measures, all with small effect sizes (the Income Factor). Our polygenic index captures 1–5% of income variance, with only one fourth due to direct genetic effects. A phenome-wide association study using this index showed reduced risks for diseases including hypertension, obesity, type 2 diabetes, depression, asthma and back pain. The Income Factor had a substantial genetic correlation (0.92, s.e. = 0.006) with educational attainment. Accounting for the genetic overlap of educational attainment with income revealed that the remaining genetic signal was linked to better mental health but reduced physical health and increased risky behaviours such as drinking and smoking. These findings highlight the complex genetic influences on income and health.

Suggested Citation

  • Hyeokmoon Kweon & Casper A. P. Burik & Yuchen Ning & Rafael Ahlskog & Charley Xia & Erik Abner & Yanchun Bao & Laxmi Bhatta & Tariq O. Faquih & Maud Feijter & Paul Fisher & Andrea Gelemanović & Alexan, 2025. "Associations between common genetic variants and income provide insights about the socio-economic health gradient," Nature Human Behaviour, Nature, vol. 9(4), pages 794-805, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nathum:v:9:y:2025:i:4:d:10.1038_s41562-024-02080-7
    DOI: 10.1038/s41562-024-02080-7
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