Habitual Physical Activity

DNA reveal your Habitual Physical Activity

Although we hear this often enough, regular physical exercise is critical for staving off diseases and maintaining our overall health. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommends at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity per week to reap the benefits of regular exercise. Now that sounds pretty daunting for those with sedentary lifestyles, but let's face it: we could all use a little nudge to stay active.

It turns out that staying active might come more naturally for some people than others.

In 2018, investigators conducted the largest genome-wide association study on physical activity yet and found 10 statistically significant gene loci associated with at least one of the various measures of physical activity they tested. To measure the frequency of physical activity, they used questionnaire data as well as data from wearable devices. Out of the 10 gene loci, three of them were statistically significant for both self-reported and measured physical activity. Interestingly, people who had a gene variant located at a gene that has previously been established as a genetic risk factor for Alzheimer's Disease were found to report higher levels of physical activity than those who did not have that variant. Learn more about the study here: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29899525

Check Genomelink now to discover whether or not you�re genetically predisposed to exercise regularly!