Genetic Weight
Your genes influence not just your weight, but also the impact of different healthy habits.
Laila, your genes predispose you to weigh about average.
This doesn't mean your weight will definitely be average. While your genes don't appear to be strongly influencing your weight in either direction, your lifestyle and environment have just as much impact, if not more.
How did we calculate your result?
We determined your result by looking at DNA variants associated with weight based on our research. Some variants have a stronger effect on weight than others, which our analysis took into account. Because of this, your proportion of higher to lower weight variants may not exactly align with your overall predisposition. Keep in mind that other variants may also affect your weight.
You have:
Variants associated with lower weight: 402
Variants associated with higher weight: 360
What is average?
The average weight for someone your age and birth sex who is 5'4" tall is 151 pounds, based on 23andMe participants of European descent. The ancestry we used for your result is based on the information you provided in your settings. European is used as the default for people of mixed ancestry and for those of ancestries for which we do not yet have enough research participants.
Your reported weight is lower than your genetic result would predict.
In your health profile you told us you weigh 129 pounds. Your lifestyle and environment may be working to offset a tendency to weigh slightly more than you do. For reference, a recommended healthy weight range for someone your height is 108-145 pounds, based on CDC guidelines.
Healthy Habits for Your Genetics
We looked at 23andMe research participants with a genetic weight predisposition like yours and found certain lifestyle factors that were associated with the biggest weight differences.
These habits made the biggest difference in people with your genetics:
These habits made the biggest difference in people with your genetics:
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Avoiding fast food
Associated with weighing up to 14.4% lessPeople at a healthy weight ate fast food less than once per week, on average.
People who never ate fast food weighed up to 14.4% less than those who ate fast food almost every day or more.
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Limiting red meat
Associated with weighing up to 13.8% lessPeople at a healthy weight ate red meat less than 2 times per week, on average.
People who never ate red meat weighed up to 13.8% less than those who ate red meat every day.
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Exercising
Associated with weighing up to 12.8% lessPeople at a healthy weight exercised 2-3 times per week, on average.
People who exercised daily weighed up to 12.8% less than those who exercised less than once a week.
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Sleeping a healthy amount
Associated with weighing up to 11.3% lessPeople at a healthy weight slept 7-8 hours per night, on average.
People who slept 8-9 hours per night weighed up to 11.3% less than those who slept less than 5 hours or more than 11 hours per night.
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Eating vegetables
Associated with weighing up to 10.8% lessPeople at a healthy weight ate 2-4 servings of vegetables per day, on average.
People who ate more than 7 servings of vegetables per day weighed up to 10.8% less than those who never ate vegetables.
Important things to keep in mind
These associations were observed in 23andMe research participants of European descent, whose demographics and lifestyles may not be representative of the general population. Our analysis accounted for the effects of age and sex, but other genetic and non-genetic factors may also influence how these habits affect your weight and health.
Our analysis did not include all possible lifestyle factors, and those that were included may not be independent of one another. For example, people who exercise frequently might also tend to have healthy diets. This means that the effect of one habit on your weight may depend in part on your other habits. And don't forget that a healthy lifestyle is important for your overall health, regardless of your weight.
Always consult with a healthcare professional before making any major lifestyle changes. This test does not diagnose any health conditions or provide medical advice.
How we determine your result
1. Collect some details from you.
You tell us your age, sex, height, weight, and ethnicity, so we can customize your result.
2. Calculate your score.
We use data from 23andMe research participants to create a genetic weight score based on your genotype at over 300 different genetic markers associated with weight. Based on your score, we then make a prediction about your BMI that also factors in your age, sex, and ethnicity.
25.8
3. Summarize your weight predisposition.
To determine whether you have a genetic tendency to weigh more or less than average, we compare your BMI prediction to other 23andMe participants of your age, sex, and ethnicity. Because average weights change with age, how your predisposition compares to average may also change slightly over time. See our white paper about the science behind this report.
Genetics and Lifestyle Associations at 23andMe
Your genetics can actually influence how much lifestyle impacts your weight, which is called "gene-environment interaction."
We looked for these kinds of interactions by comparing the BMIs of 23andMe research participants with different genetics and different daily habits. In general, we saw the biggest weight differences between people who practiced these habits most often compared to those who rarely or never did. Each lifestyle choice seemed to have a slightly different effect on weight, depending on genetics. This table shows the average effect associated with your genetic weight predisposition as well as the range of effect seen in people with other predispositions.
Uncovering the connections between genetics, lifestyle, and weight is an active area of science, and our research efforts are ongoing.
Lifestyle factor
Range of observed results (% weight difference), from lowest to highest genetic weight predisposition
Limiting red meat
Exercising
Sleeping a healthy amount
Eating vegetables
Eating leafy greens
Eating fish
Eating fruit
Eating yogurt
Managing stress
These findings are based on self-reported height, weight, and lifestyle data from over 45,000 23andMe research participants of European descent. All lifestyle factors included in the analysis were significantly correlated with BMI (correlation coefficients ranged from 0.2-0.3; all p-values < 0.0001).
Our analysis accounted for the effects of sex and age, but differences in reported weight may also be influenced by other lifestyle, demographic, and genetic factors not included.
See our white paper for details about the science behind this report.
References
- Multhaup M et al. (2017). “23andMe White Paper 23-17: Estimating BMI and associated phenotypes with polygenic risk models.” 23andMe White Paper.
- Nettleton J et al. (2015). “Gene × dietary pattern interactions in obesity: analysis of up to 68 317 adults of European ancestry.” Hum Mol Genet. 24(16):4728-38.
- Reddon H et al. (2016). “Physical activity and genetic predisposition to obesity in a multiethnic longitudinal study.” Sci Rep. Jan 4;6:18672.
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and U.S. Department of Agriculture. “2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.” 8th Edition. December 2015.
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. “2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans.” 2008.