With many other pressing priorities this year, Congress hit the snooze button on the<a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/senate-bill/623"> Sunshine Protection Act</a>, legislation to make daylight saving permanent. Come Sunday, November 6th most everyone in the US will again move their clocks back an hour.



But that pause doesn’t mean we’ll be pulling the sheets over the debate any time soon.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="683" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/iStock-640228980-1024x683.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-25757" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/iStock-640228980-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/iStock-640228980-300x200.jpg 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/iStock-640228980-768x513.jpg 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/iStock-640228980-880x587.jpg 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/iStock-640228980-1180x788.jpg 1180w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/iStock-640228980.jpg 1254w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



<h6 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-making-daylight-saving-time-permanent">Making Daylight Saving Time Permanent</h6>



There are strong feelings about the biannual ritual that disrupts sleep cycles across the country. Almost three-quarters of those<a href="https://apnorc.org/projects/daylight-saving-time-vs-standard-time/"> polled recently</a> said they didn’t support changing their clocks twice a year. But they were split on whether to keep standard time or make daylight saving time permanent.



A survey of more than 40,000 23andMe customers who consented to participate in research found that about 65 percent supported making daylight saving permanent, meaning they want to make daylight saving time permanent and not have to go through the ritual of moving the clock back an hour in the fall and forward and hour in the spring.



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="550" height="527" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/daylight.jpg" alt="A graph showing those who support, oppose or have no opinion on making daylight saving time permanent." class="wp-image-30643" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/daylight.jpg 550w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/daylight-300x287.jpg 300w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 550px) 100vw, 550px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Most of the 40,000 23andMe customers who consented to participate in research and answered this survey question, support making daylight saving permanent. </figcaption></figure>



For those not well-versed in the terminology, “daylight saving time” is the period in spring and summer when we’ve pushed the clocks ahead an hour of “standard time” to take advantage of the longer hours of sunlight.



<h6 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-morning-person-versus-night-owl">Morning Person versus Night Owl</h6>



Researchers here at 23andMe were curious about what the genetic data might say about where people stand on this issue. After all, we know that genetics plays a role in whether a person is more likely to be a “night owl” or a <a href="https://blog.23andme.com/23andme-research/morning-person/">“morning person.”</a> Scientists have long known that genetics influences human <a href="https://blog.23andme.com/23andme-research/nobel-worthy-sleep-science/">circadian rhythms </a>and we’ve found hundreds of genetic variants that influence whether a person is more likely to get up early versus go to bed late.



But do those genetic differences play any role in what side of the debate you are on? Does it influence whether you’re more likely to want to make standard time permanent or embrace daylight saving time?



Our researchers speculated that perhaps if you were genetically more likely to be a morning person, then you’d be more likely to support making daylight saving time permanent, meaning that it stays light later. They thought people genetically predisposed to be night owls, in turn, would embrace making standard time permanent.



But that’s not exactly what they found.



<h6 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-genetics-does-not-play-a-role">Genetics Does Not Play a role</h6>



Our researchers didn’t find any genetic patterns that predicted whether someone supported making daylight saving permanent or not. We did find a small association among those who said they were a “morning person” being between 15-20 percent more likely to oppose making standard time permanent. However, there was no association with the genetic tendency to be a morning person. (23andMe uses a polygenic model that relies on more than 400 genetic variants associated with wake times to estimate someone’s likelihood of being a morning person.)



While genetics didn’t appear to influence where someone stood on the issue, other factors surprisingly did, and many were tied to the seasons.



<h6 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-hot-and-cold-on-time-change">Hot and Cold on Time Change</h6>



The biggest predictor of whether someone supported making daylight saving time permanent was whether they liked very hot weather and disliked cold weather. About 86 percent of those who liked hot weather over cold supported making daylight saving time permanent. That’s 17 percent higher support for daylight saving time when compared to people who said they liked cold over hot weather.



In addition to temperature preference, people with seasonal affective disorder — a condition associated with depression during winter triggered by less sunlight —were more likely to support permanent daylight savings time. About 81 percent of those with seasonal affective disorder supported making daylight saving permanent, about 8 percentage points higher than all those surveyed.



<h6 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-age-and-education">Age and Education</h6>



Beyond the temperature and daylight, age and education level also appears to play a big role in opinions about daylight saving time. Older people and those with higher degrees were more likely to want to keep things as they are and less likely to support making daylight saving permanent, for instance. People in their 40s were most likely to support making daylight saving permanent.



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="550" height="452" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/daylight-3.jpg" alt="A chart showing support of making daylight saving time permanent based on age. People in their 40s were most supportive." class="wp-image-30641" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/daylight-3.jpg 550w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/daylight-3-300x247.jpg 300w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 550px) 100vw, 550px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">People in their 40s were most likely to support making daylight saving time permanent. </figcaption></figure>



Beyond age and education level, we wondered if having a job or an early work schedule or other social behavior might also play a role. Employment didn’t seem to impact opinions, but perhaps unsurprisingly, having to get up early sure did. Those who had to get up early for work were less likely to support making daylight saving permanent.



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="550" height="452" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/daylight-2.jpg" alt="A graph showing breaking down support for making daylight saving time permanent based on wake up time. People who wake-up between 9 am and 10 am had the most support." class="wp-image-30642" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/daylight-2.jpg 550w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/daylight-2-300x247.jpg 300w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 550px) 100vw, 550px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">People who wake up between 9 am and 10 were the strongest supporters of making daylight saving time permanent. </figcaption></figure>



<h6 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-more">More</h6>



We also found that people who were more apt to socialize were also more likely to support making daylight saving time permanent. We measured that in part by how they answered the question of how often there were “people around with whom to have fun.” And we found that 78 percent of those who answered that they usually or always had people around with whom they had fun support making daylight saving permanent.&nbsp;&nbsp;



While genetic associations often turn up for unexpected traits, perhaps it shouldn&#8217;t be surprising that attitudes about daylight saving time aren&#8217;t one of them. Our exploration of attitudes toward daylight saving time offers an example of the power of 23andMe’s unique research platform. It’s a platform that allows our scientists to more easily and quickly explore lighter behavioral traits like this, as well as others that are much more grounded in biology.



23andMe Ancestry and Trait service customers can see what their genetics says about being a morning person or a night owl in their <a href="https://you.23andme.com/reports/trait.wakeup_time/">Wake Up Time report.</a>



Not yet a customer? Find out more about 23andMe services <a href="https://www.23andme.com/compare-dna-tests/">here</a>.

23andMe Blog

23andMe Blog Team

Turning Back the Clock on Daylight Saving Time

When Jane Beery learned that she carried a BRCA1 mutation, she was shocked but not surprised.



Jane, who is now 66, had been going in for mammograms and screenings since her early 30s. Her mother died from breast cancer and she has Ashkenazi Jewish heritage.



“I’ve lived with this whole breast cancer cloud hanging over me for my whole life,” she explained.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="709" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/84799b76-525c-46da-9262-588bc225f940-e1666905935708-1024x709.jpg" alt="Jane Beery" class="wp-image-30649" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/84799b76-525c-46da-9262-588bc225f940-e1666905935708-1024x709.jpg 1024w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/84799b76-525c-46da-9262-588bc225f940-e1666905935708-300x208.jpg 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/84799b76-525c-46da-9262-588bc225f940-e1666905935708-768x532.jpg 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/84799b76-525c-46da-9262-588bc225f940-e1666905935708-880x609.jpg 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/84799b76-525c-46da-9262-588bc225f940-e1666905935708-1180x817.jpg 1180w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/84799b76-525c-46da-9262-588bc225f940-e1666905935708.jpg 1512w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



So in 2018, when the 23andMe BRCA1/BRCA2 (Selected Variants) Genetic Health Risk report* became available, she opted to receive the information.



“I remember hesitating before opening the report,” she said. “I thought about it for a while, and I thought about my life, and I went ahead.”



The report indicated that she had the BRCA1 variant – one of the three variants for which 23andMe tests.



After digesting her report, she told her nurse practitioner – who advised her to make an appointment for confirmatory testing with a genetic counselor – and her two daughters. “They were young adults, and I decided they needed the information.”



<h6 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-meet-the-brca-genes">Meet the BRCA Genes</h6>



<a href="https://www.23andme.com/brca/">BRCA genes</a> themselves do not cause cancer. Instead, they normally act as tumor suppressors – helping to prevent cancer by repairing and protecting DNA. But BRCA variants cripple this DNA repair process, which can spur tumor growth and increase the risk of developing certain cancers, including breast, ovarian, and prostate cancer.



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow">Sticking your head in the sand isn’t a good strategy, especially when there is so much that can be done</blockquote>



People with Ashkenazi Jewish heritage are particularly likely to carry these variants. Whereas one in 400 people in the general population carries a BRCA variant, about<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/breast/young_women/bringyourbrave/hereditary_breast_cancer/jewish_women_brca.htm"> one in 40</a> people of Ashkenazi descent has one of the three variants included in 23andMe’s report.



<h6 class="wp-block-heading">23andMe Customers</h6>



More than 6,000 23andMe customers with a variant – including Jane –&nbsp; have viewed their&nbsp; BRCA1/BRCA2 (Selected Variants) Genetic Health Risk report.&nbsp;



But recent research estimates that less than 20 percent of people with a BRCA variant know they have one.



<h6 class="wp-block-heading">Taking Action</h6>



For Jane, knowing her BRCA status has allowed her to take proactive steps to protect her and her daughter’s health. Since the discovery, she elected to have preventative surgery to remove her ovaries as well as a double mastectomy – significantly reducing her chance of developing breast cancer and nearly eliminating her risk for ovarian cancer.&nbsp;



And this knowledge became even more critical when one of her daughters found a lump in her breast at the age of 32 and was eventually diagnosed with breast cancer.



“[The hospital] had me scan and email my 23andMe reports to the geneticists while they waited for my daughter’s genetic test results to come back,” Jane recalled. “It was helpful in the time before they got her testing back, and they were able to confirm [her BRCA status].



Today, Jane is dedicated to sharing her BRCA story in the hopes that it can help others.



 “Power comes from knowledge,” she reflected. “Sticking your head in the sand isn’t a good strategy, especially when there is so much that can be done.”



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>



*23andMe health predisposition reports include both reports that meet FDA requirements for genetic health risks and reports which are based on 23andMe research and have not been reviewed by the FDA. The test uses qualitative genotyping to detect select clinically relevant variants in the genomic DNA of adults from saliva for the purpose of reporting and interpreting genetic health risks. It is not intended to diagnose any disease. Your ethnicity may affect the relevance of each report and how your genetic health risk results are interpreted. Each genetic health risk report describes if a person has variants associated with a higher risk of developing a disease, but does not describe a person’s overall risk of developing the disease. The test is not intended to tell you anything about your current state of health, or to be used to make medical decisions, including whether or not you should take a medication, how much of a medication you should take, or determine any treatment. For certain conditions, we provide a single report that includes information on both carrier status and genetic health risk. Warnings &amp; Limitations: The 23andMe PGS Genetic Health Risk Report for BRCA1/BRCA2 (Selected Variants) is indicated for reporting of the 185delAG and 5382insC variants in the BRCA1 gene and the 6174delT variant in the BRCA2 gene. The report describes if a woman is at increased risk of developing breast and ovarian cancer, and if a man is at increased risk of developing breast cancer or may be at increased risk of developing prostate cancer. The three variants included in this report are most common in people of Ashkenazi Jewish descent and do not represent the majority of BRCA1/BRCA2 variants in the general population. This report does not include variants in other genes linked to hereditary cancers and the absence of variants included in this report does not rule out the presence of other genetic variants that may impact cancer risk. The PGS test is not a substitute for visits to a healthcare professional for recommended screenings or appropriate follow-up. Results should be confirmed in a clinical setting before taking any medical action. For important information and limitations regarding each genetic health risk report, visit<a href="https://www.23andme.com/test-info/"> 23andme.com/test-info/</a>.

Discovering a BRCA Gene in the Family

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has <a href="https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2022/10/27/2542610/0/en/23andMe-Granted-New-FDA-Clearance-to-Provide-Interpretive-Drug-Information-for-a-Commonly-Prescribed-Cholesterol-Medication.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">granted 23andMe </a>510(k) clearance for its pharmacogenetics report for the <a href="https://www.23andme.com/topics/pharmacogenetics/slco1b1/">SLCO1B1 genetic variant</a> to provide interpretive drug information for simvastatin.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-among-the-most-commonly-prescribed-medication">Among the Most Commonly Prescribed Medication</h2>



Simvastatin is a medication in the statin family of drugs commonly prescribed to lower cholesterol to help reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke. In 2020, simvastatin was the second-most widely prescribed statin and the thirteenth-most<a href="https://clincalc.com/DrugStats/"> commonly prescribed</a> medication in the U.S.



A particular gene variation, SLCO1B1, influences the body’s response to simvastatin. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ethnicity-matters">Ethnicity Matters</h2>



In<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4889090/"> certain ethnicities</a>, up to 38 percent of people have a SLCO1B1 genotype that increases the possibility of experiencing side effects related to taking simvastatin, particularly statin-associated musculoskeletal symptoms risk.



In addition to providing interpretive drug information, the new FDA clearance also removes the requirement for confirmatory testing.&nbsp;



“This is an important win for consumers, as they will have access to critical information on how they may respond to a commonly prescribed medication based on their genetics,” said Noura Abul-Husn, M.D. Ph.D., Vice President of Genomic Health at 23andMe.



“A complete health picture requires a number of inputs, including genetics, which is too often overlooked in healthcare. With this clearance, we are continuing to champion access to actionable health information so that everyone can benefit from a personalized healthcare experience and avoid negative side effects of medications where possible.”

Another FDA Clearance to Provide Drug Information

Most of us intuitively know what we need to do to stay healthy — eat better, exercise, get more sleep and reduce stress.



But knowing and doing are two different things.&nbsp; Many of us struggle to take the necessary actions to improve our health. Some of us just need a little nudge to get started. November is Diabetes Awareness Month, and we wanted to raise awareness about the risk but also shine a light on people who after learning of their own risk got educated and took action to lower it.&nbsp;



For Tracy, the nudge came from a 23andMe report, powered by 23andMe Research,&nbsp; indicating that she had a higher likelihood of developing type 2 diabetes based on her genetics. It wasn’t that the result was a surprise — the condition runs in her family. It was simply seeing the report, spending the time to read it, and knowing that it confirmed what she already knew: She needed to take better care of herself.



”Seeing it there, in your face&nbsp; … I actually have to do something about that,” Tracy said.



<h6 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-this-is-heavy">This is Heavy</h6>



Part of the promise of 23andMe is it offers people the information they and their healthcare provider can use to make better decisions about their health.



&#8220;The potential for 23andMe is really to massively change the way we are approaching our own health in terms of prevention,&#8221; said Anne Wojcicki, 23andMe’s CEO and co-founder. &#8220;I hope in 10 years we can have a society where people are proactively managing their health and getting information that helps them avoid disease.&#8221;&nbsp;



But what about right now?



According to the CDC, the number of Americans with diabetes has more than <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/basics/quick-facts.html">doubled in the last two decades</a>. More than a third of adults in the United States are pre-diabetic. The vast majority of them, 84 percent, don&#8217;t even know they are at risk. About 34 million people in the US have diabetes.



The staggering number is a testament to how hard it is to make changes. Understanding the emotional and psychological hurdles people need to clear before taking the actions they already know they need to take to be healthy is essential.



There isn’t a perfect solution, but knowing your risk — whether from being overweight or having a higher genetic likelihood for the condition — is a first step to preventing developing type 2 diabetes. Finding the motivation to make a change is the next step.



We talked to a few 23andMe customers who used their 23andMe reports to help motivate them to make healthy changes. Here’s what they shared with us.



<h6 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-change-what-you-can">Change What You Can</h6>



For Tracy, a 54-year-old mother of three adult children, this information came right as she was thinking about the next stage of her life.



Contemplating being both a mother and grandmother. She wanted to avoid some of the health issues her own mother and grandmother dealt with in their lives. The 23andMe report, coupled with some concerning blood work indicating she was pre-diabetic, was all she needed for motivation. She started eating better, exercising more, and focusing daily on her health.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="683" height="1024" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/image-683x1024.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-30386" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/image-683x1024.jpg 683w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/image-768x1151.jpg 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/image-200x300.jpg 200w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/image-587x880.jpg 587w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/image-788x1180.jpg 788w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/image-scaled.jpg 1709w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 683px) 100vw, 683px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Tracy</figcaption></figure>



Since making those changes she’s lost 15 pounds, and her A1C levels — a measure of blood sugar levels over time — have returned to normal. Her weight loss has not always been consistent, rising and falling over the months. Still, she’s focused on the positives. She’s kept the weight off and has plans to lose 15 more pounds. And the positive changes she’s made started with her understanding of the role genetics together with lifestyle plays in one’s chances of developing type 2 diabetes.&nbsp;



“I can’t change the DNA, but I can change what I do daily,” Tracy said.&nbsp;



<h6 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-being-prepared">Being Prepared</h6>



Much like Tracy, Erick, a professional Jiu-Jitsu athlete, used his 23andMe report as motivation to keep focused on his health.



Erick, who served five tours in Afghanistan and is now in the Army reserves, is all about staying focused and prepared for what is to come. He said the health information within 23andMe’s report gives him the information he can use to be healthier and more prepared for the future.



“I want to know as much about my body as I possibly can so that I have the best advantage to train and compete,” Erick said.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="728" height="1024" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Erick-728x1024.png" alt="" class="wp-image-30588" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Erick-728x1024.png 728w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Erick-213x300.png 213w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Erick-626x880.png 626w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Erick.png 758w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 728px) 100vw, 728px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Erick</figcaption></figure>



He’s already in great shape, but he wants to do everything he can to stay healthy for his baby girl and&nbsp; two young sons. Seeing that he had a higher genetic likelihood of developing type 2 diabetes, he decided to talk to his doctor about it. One of the first things that he focused on was the type of food he eats.



“I grew up in the Midwest and was a real meat and potatoes guy!” he said.



That changed after seeing the report and a discussion with his doctor. It motivated him to reduce his consumption of red meat, replacing it with more fish and chicken. He and his coaches tweaked his training, and those simple changes helped him lose some excess weight.



He feels better and is as prepared as ever.



<h6 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-taking-control">Taking Control</h6>



Unlike Erick, Kat (who uses the pronouns they/them) felt their weight issues were a given. Obesity runs in their family and they had sort of accepted it as their destiny.&nbsp;



But 23andMe’s report changed Kat’s point of view. Kat had an increased genetic likelihood of developing type 2 diabetes. But reading it made Kat realize that actually, their DNA wasn’t their destiny.



“With 23andMe, it made me feel like maybe I should care about my health and live my life like I’m going to make it after all,” Kat said.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="768" height="1024" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Kat-Photo-scaled-e1666044631750-768x1024.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-30408" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Kat-Photo-scaled-e1666044631750-768x1024.jpeg 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Kat-Photo-scaled-e1666044631750-225x300.jpeg 225w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Kat-Photo-scaled-e1666044631750-660x880.jpeg 660w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Kat-Photo-scaled-e1666044631750-885x1180.jpeg 885w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Kat</figcaption></figure>



Kat realized that yes their genetics plays a role but so does diet and lifestyle. Kat decided to make some healthy changes, eating better, exercising more, and changing their perspective on the future. After making those changes, Kat has already lost 50 pounds. And the transformation has inspired others in Kat’s family. Kat’s mom also adopted a healthier lifestyle, losing 15 pounds thus far.&nbsp;



“What’s cool about 23andMe is (it) gives me the inspiration that a lot of diet programs don’t provide,” said Kat.&nbsp;



And that success motivated Kat’s mom to also take action.



<h6 class="wp-block-heading">Self-Coaching</h6>



When she was on campus, Lucy helped fellow students as a volunteer with the University of Wyoming’s wellness program. As a wellness ambassador, her job was to help others through education, conducting health screenings, health coaching, or simply lending an ear to listen. She never expected that she would use some of those skills for her own wellness.



An adoptee, Lucy used 23andMe to learn a little bit more about her ancestry, but it was her health reports that ended up drawing most of her attention. Learning that she had a substantially increased genetic likelihood of developing type 2 diabetes prompted Lucy to act.



“I was shocked,” she said.



It prompted her to go back and look at her most recent blood work, and she saw that she was on the cusp of being pre-diabetic.



Her 23andMe report and blood test drove her to act.



“It has really given me the motivation to start eating healthier and exercise more,” Lucy said.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="819" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Lucylucia-1024x819.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-30409" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Lucylucia-1024x819.jpg 1024w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Lucylucia-300x240.jpg 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Lucylucia-768x614.jpg 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Lucylucia-880x704.jpg 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Lucylucia-1180x944.jpg 1180w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Lucylucia.jpg 1750w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Lucy</figcaption></figure>



With a weakness for sweets, Lucy knew she had to work at maintaining a healthy lifestyle but she got some help from those she loved. At home, Lucy’s mom made sure to stock the house with food options to support Lucy’s goals, and at school, her boyfriend, now her husband, helped her by changing his diet and working out with her at the gym. She’s already noticed a change, even in how her body responds when she strays and eats something sugary. It’s also helped her in her volunteer role, allowing her to share her own experience of making healthy choices every day. Now that she’s married and recently graduated from school, she’s carrying those lessons with her. She knows that those decisions don’t only help her but her family and the people she cares about and who care about her.



“I do not want my health problems to negatively affect the people I love the most,” she said. “I am so thankful to have learned about this earlier rather than later.”



<h6 class="wp-block-heading">Staying Around Longer</h6>



David was always curious about what he could learn about using 23andMe, but he didn’t try it until some friends gave it to him as a gift for his birthday. All the curiosity had been focused on what he might learn about his ancestry. He didn’t expect that his health reports would have much more impact on his life.



Among the things he learned about his health was that he had an increased likelihood of developing type 2 diabetes. The father of a 13-year-old, and on the cusp of getting married again, the result got his attention.



“It prompted me to make myself healthier,” he said&nbsp;



After seeing his report he talked to his doctor.



“I went to my doctors and asked what the best course of action would be,” David said.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="675" height="675" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/1xmtzc.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-30347" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/1xmtzc.jpg 675w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/1xmtzc-150x150.jpg 150w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/1xmtzc-300x300.jpg 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/1xmtzc-271x271.jpg 271w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/1xmtzc-372x372.jpg 372w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/1xmtzc-574x574.jpg 574w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 675px) 100vw, 675px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">David</figcaption></figure>



It wasn’t too complicated, his doctor told him.



“Primarily, it’s diet and exercise,” David said.



Although the advice seemed generic, for some reason it felt more personal. David could see that he not only had a higher genetic likelihood but that his lifestyle choices put him at a higher chance for type 2 diabetes.



“I know that sounds like a catchall but honestly it really is (what you need to do),” he said.&nbsp;



David started with the simple things. He cut out fast foods, processed meats, and cheese from his diet. The latter was a little hard for him.



“I love cheese,” he said.&nbsp;



But he kept at it, motivated to act not just because of his genetic likelihood and his overall health but because he saw how diabetes had ravaged his mom and his grandmother. He knows what it means to live with the condition, and that’s what kept him going.&nbsp;



“It’s a journey,” he says.&nbsp;



A surgery set him back but he’s recently started to get into the gym again, and he’s running training for a 5K, as well as some obstacle races that some of his friends are doing.



“I’m ready to catch up with them,” David said.



But it’s not just about doing stuff with his friends. He thinks about his son.



“ I want to be the role model he needs,” David said. “I don’t want to lead by a bad example of what not to be. I need to be around for a long time.”



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>



*Important Note: The 23andMe Type 2 Diabetes report is based on 23andMe research and incorporates more than 1,000 genetic variants to provide information on the likelihood of developing type 2 diabetes.&nbsp; The report does not account for lifestyle or family history and has not been reviewed by the US Food and Drug Administration. Click <a href="http://www.23andme.com/topics/health-predispositions/type-2-diabetes">here</a> for additional important information.

Healthier Every Day 

A team of researchers led by scientists from the University of Edinburgh completed the largest genetic study to date looking at dyslexia and linking the condition to genes associated with neurodevelopment.



Dyslexia is estimated to affect between 5 to 17 percent of the population. It impacts a person’s reading ability and often runs in families.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="683" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Books-1-1024x683.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-26405" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Books-1-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Books-1-300x200.jpg 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Books-1-768x512.jpg 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Books-1-880x587.jpg 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Books-1-1180x787.jpg 1180w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



<h6 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-links-to-neurodevelopment">Links to neurodevelopment</h6>



The new study, published in <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41588-022-01192-y">Nature Genetics</a>, offers more insight into the biological mechanisms behind dyslexia. The study found genetic links between the condition and genes associated with neurodevelopment,. Researchers also identified a genetic link between dyslexia and ambidexterity.&nbsp;&nbsp;



But the study did not confirm some previous research suggesting a genetic link between dyslexia and changes in brain structure.



“Previous work suggested some brain structures may be altered in people with dyslexia, but we did not find evidence that genes explain this,“ said Michelle Luciano, Ph.D., the lead author and a researcher at the University of Edinburgh’s School of Philosophy, Psychology and Language Sciences.



<h6 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-reading-and-spelling">Reading and spelling</h6>



Because dyslexia is so closely genetically related to performance on reading and spelling tests, Dr. Luciano called out the need for better-standardized testing as a way to identify individuals with the condition early to help them with reading and writing.



Scientists from the<a href="https://www.genlang.org/"> Genetic Language Consortium</a> and from 23andMe contributed to the study. The work relied on data from more than a million 23andMe customers who consented to participate in research. Among those consenting to participate in research were about 51,000 people who reported that they had dyslexia.



In all, researchers identified 42 genetic variants. The strongest of those were genetic variants that were also linked to cognitive ability and educational attainment. Educational attainments is a measure of the number of years in school. The genetic variants associated with dyslexia were also associated with language delay, thinking skills, and academic achievement. The results highlighted how dyslexia and its impact on reading and writing affect some of the essential processes for learning.&nbsp;



You can see the full study in<a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41588-022-01192-y"> Nature Genetics</a>.



The researchers also assembled a list of answers to questions on the study, its purpose, and how the genetic study was conducted<a href="https://www.genlang.org/GWAS_dyslexia_FAQ.html"> here</a>.

Study Identifies Genetic Links to Dyslexia

An investigation into a missense variant associated with cataracts in Puerto Ricans.
A prospective analysis of disease incidence and progression with genetic, clinical, and lifestyle risk factors.
Those are just two of the seven posters that the <a href="https://www.23andme.com/research/">23andMe research team</a> will present at this year’s <a href="https://www.ashg.org/meetings/2022-annual-meeting/">American Society of Human Genetics (ASHG) meeting</a>.
The meeting, which will be held in Los Angeles October 25-29, provides a forum for the discussion of cutting-edge science in all areas of human genetics.
Highlights of this year’s agenda include symposia, booths, scientific sessions, and workshops, as well as a <a href="https://www.ashg.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/ASHG2022-presidential-symposium-speakers-and-description.pdf">Presidential Symposium</a> on recent developments in African genomics.
<h6>23andMe at ASHG</h6>
Below you’ll find a full list of our presentations and posters at ASHG.&nbsp;
In addition to our research contributions, we’ll also have a booth (#1248) where conference attendees can learn more about several of our initiatives – including our<a href="https://research.23andme.com/postdocs/"> Postdoc Program</a> and our<a href="https://research.23andme.com/research-innovation-collaborations/"> Research Innovation Collaboration Program</a>. We hope to see you there!
<h6>Wednesday, Oct. 26 from 3:00 &#8211; 4:45 P.M. PT</h6>


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<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="512" height="512" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Jing-Shi.png" alt="" class="wp-image-30594" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Jing-Shi.png 512w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Jing-Shi-150x150.png 150w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Jing-Shi-300x300.png 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Jing-Shi-271x271.png 271w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Jing-Shi-372x372.png 372w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px" /></figure>
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“A Rare Missense Variant of Large Effect is Associated with Cataract in Puerto Ricans”



Jing Shi, PhD, Scientist II, Statistical Genetics



Poster # PB3281
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<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="384" height="384" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Priyanka-Nandakumar-e1666109603948.png" alt="" class="wp-image-30593" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Priyanka-Nandakumar-e1666109603948.png 384w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Priyanka-Nandakumar-e1666109603948-150x150.png 150w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Priyanka-Nandakumar-e1666109603948-300x300.png 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Priyanka-Nandakumar-e1666109603948-271x271.png 271w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Priyanka-Nandakumar-e1666109603948-372x372.png 372w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 384px) 100vw, 384px" /></figure>
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“Comparison of trans-ancestry meta- and mega-analyses of cis-eQTLs in whole blood and LCLs”



Priyanka Nandakumar, PhD, Scientist II, Statistical Genetics



Poster # PB3345
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<div class="wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-28f84493 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex">
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<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="1020" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Wei-Wang-e1666111334580-1024x1020.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-30592" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Wei-Wang-e1666111334580-1024x1020.jpg 1024w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Wei-Wang-e1666111334580-150x150.jpg 150w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Wei-Wang-e1666111334580-300x300.jpg 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Wei-Wang-e1666111334580-768x765.jpg 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Wei-Wang-e1666111334580-880x877.jpg 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Wei-Wang-e1666111334580-271x271.jpg 271w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Wei-Wang-e1666111334580-372x372.jpg 372w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Wei-Wang-e1666111334580.jpg 1064w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>
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“Prospective analysis of disease incidence and progression with genetic, clinical and lifestyle risk factors”



Wei Wang, PhD, Scientist II, Statistical Genetics



Poster # PB3563
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</div>



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<h6 class="wp-block-heading">Thursday, Oct. 27 from 3:00 &#8211; 4:45 P.M. PT</h6>
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<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1016" height="1024" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/katelynn-e1666109571153-1016x1024.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-30595" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/katelynn-e1666109571153-1016x1024.jpg 1016w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/katelynn-e1666109571153-150x150.jpg 150w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/katelynn-e1666109571153-298x300.jpg 298w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/katelynn-e1666109571153-768x774.jpg 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/katelynn-e1666109571153-873x880.jpg 873w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/katelynn-e1666109571153.jpg 1060w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1016px) 100vw, 1016px" /></figure>
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“Advancing rare disease research through web-based recruitment: the 23andMe Systemic Sclerosis Research Study”



Katelyn Kukar, Associate Program Manager



Poster # PB1256
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<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="512" height="512" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Kipper-Fletez-Brant.png" alt="" class="wp-image-30591" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Kipper-Fletez-Brant.png 512w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Kipper-Fletez-Brant-150x150.png 150w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Kipper-Fletez-Brant-300x300.png 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Kipper-Fletez-Brant-271x271.png 271w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Kipper-Fletez-Brant-372x372.png 372w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px" /></figure>
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“The genetic architectures of gene expression in individuals of African and European ancestry: results and consequences of eQTL studies”



Kipper Fletez-Brant, PhD, Scientist II, Computational Biology



Poster # PB2700
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<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1022" height="1024" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Zachary-Fuller-e1666111361846-1022x1024.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-30590" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Zachary-Fuller-e1666111361846-1022x1024.jpg 1022w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Zachary-Fuller-e1666111361846-150x150.jpg 150w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Zachary-Fuller-e1666111361846-300x300.jpg 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Zachary-Fuller-e1666111361846-768x769.jpg 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Zachary-Fuller-e1666111361846-878x880.jpg 878w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Zachary-Fuller-e1666111361846-271x271.jpg 271w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Zachary-Fuller-e1666111361846-372x372.jpg 372w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Zachary-Fuller-e1666111361846-574x574.jpg 574w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Zachary-Fuller-e1666111361846.jpg 1058w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1022px) 100vw, 1022px" /></figure>
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“Burden testing of imputed rare variants to inform therapeutic hypotheses”



Zachary Fuller, PhD, Scientist I, Statistical Genetics



Poster # PB3330
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</div>



<div class="wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-28f84493 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex">
<div class="wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow" style="flex-basis:33.33%">
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="1024" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Chris-German-e1666111393253-1024x1024.png" alt="" class="wp-image-30589" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Chris-German-e1666111393253-1024x1024.png 1024w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Chris-German-e1666111393253-150x150.png 150w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Chris-German-e1666111393253-300x300.png 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Chris-German-e1666111393253-768x768.png 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Chris-German-e1666111393253-880x880.png 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Chris-German-e1666111393253-1180x1180.png 1180w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Chris-German-e1666111393253-271x271.png 271w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Chris-German-e1666111393253-372x372.png 372w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Chris-German-e1666111393253-574x574.png 574w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Chris-German-e1666111393253-980x980.png 980w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Chris-German-e1666111393253.png 1512w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>
</div>



<div class="wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow" style="flex-basis:66.66%">
&#8220;GWAS of pericarditis derived from a natural language processing model on self-reported free text data identifies a genome-wide significant association on chromosome 2q14.1”



Chris German, PhD, Scientist I, Statistical Genetics



Poster # PB3426
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</div>

23andMe Research at ASHG Meeting

We know Halloween is scary good, and that’s not because of pumpkin spice.



So, what gives?



There are the costumes, the candy, and the usually risk-free thrill of something scary, or the chance to scare the heck out of somebody else. But why do we like it so much?



As fans of this time of year, a few of our scientists dove into the data to take a closer look. They wanted to know just how much people say they fear creepy crawly spiders or love horror films, or whether they prefer the sweet taste of, say a Snickers bar, over the tang of a Sour Patch Kids candy.&nbsp;



We looked at the data to see what it says about fear, taste, and attraction to the thrill of something scary. Here’s what we found.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="569" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Screen-Shot-2022-10-17-at-3.35.46-PM-1024x569.png" alt="" class="wp-image-30608" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Screen-Shot-2022-10-17-at-3.35.46-PM-1024x569.png 1024w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Screen-Shot-2022-10-17-at-3.35.46-PM-300x167.png 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Screen-Shot-2022-10-17-at-3.35.46-PM-768x427.png 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Screen-Shot-2022-10-17-at-3.35.46-PM-880x489.png 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Screen-Shot-2022-10-17-at-3.35.46-PM-1180x656.png 1180w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Screen-Shot-2022-10-17-at-3.35.46-PM.png 1562w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



<h6 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-fear-and-loathing">Fear and loathing</h6>



At 23andMe we ask all sorts of questions about everything from whether you can curl your tongue or do a cartwheel. This is because it adds to our understanding of human traits, behavior, and in some cases human health.&nbsp;



While this was a fun exercise, it also did reveal some interesting associations between certain fears and mental health-related conditions. So we saw that those who reported a fear of spiders also were much more likely to have a fear of heights, as well as a likelihood to have anxiety and depression.&nbsp;&nbsp;



If you do have a bit of arachnophobia, you’re not alone. A lot of people are afraid of spiders, about 22 percent of the population say they have that fear, according to <a href="https://www.chapman.edu/wilkinson/research-centers/babbie-center/_files/Babbie%20center%20fear2021/blogpost-americas-top-fears-2020_-21-final.pdf">Chapman University Survey of American Fears</a>. 23andMe’s data shows a higher percentage of people say they are afraid of spiders, about 38 percent, but the surveys are done differently. The annual Chapman survey includes questions about a large number of fears. A fear of spiders ranks among fears just behind a fear of snakes, but ahead of murder hornets.&nbsp;



Since that, all sounds like the plot line for a scary movie, that brings us to, well, scary movies. Despite our fears, some of us are actually attracted to horror films. From a scientific point of view, we see that this may be another form of thrill-seeking or risk-taking, which may in turn also reflect on behavior.&nbsp;



<h6 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-age-matters">Age matters</h6>



A lot changes as we get older, and it’s not just attitudes, hair lines and wrinkles. As we age, it appears that the years lessen certain fears, and change our perceptions and tastes in everything from the food we eat to the films we watch. These trends are very distinct in the data.



As we age, some of our fears — at least in the case of spiders — fade. Perhaps we focus on bigger things or just put things into perspective.&nbsp;



And maybe as we age what also fades appears to be any thrill from seeing a scary movie. In truth, most 23andMe customers who consented to participate in research — more than half surveyed — actually say they don’t like horror movies, but age matters.&nbsp;



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="633" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Halloween-Related-Preferences-by-Age-1024x633.png" alt="A bar chart showing how fear of spiders, preference for sweet or sour candy and horror movies changes as we age." class="wp-image-30400" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Halloween-Related-Preferences-by-Age-1024x633.png 1024w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Halloween-Related-Preferences-by-Age-300x186.png 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Halloween-Related-Preferences-by-Age-768x475.png 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Halloween-Related-Preferences-by-Age-880x544.png 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Halloween-Related-Preferences-by-Age-1180x730.png 1180w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Halloween-Related-Preferences-by-Age.png 1200w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



More than half of people under 30, about 60 percent, say they like scary films. So, expect more reboots of movies like Scream, Halloween, and, yikes, Saw. As a side note, in looking at those who said they liked the “Horror” genre we saw an association with depression, smoking, and a lack of religiosity.&nbsp;



Breaking down the data by age we see that with every decade the taste for a devilishly scary movie diminishes. By the age of 60 more than three-quarters of people say they dislike horror films.



One surprise, although maybe it shouldn’t be, is that it’s not just our film tastes that change with age. So too do our candy preferences. The older you get, according to our data, the more likely you prefer sweet candy over sour. This might actually reflect changes in our taste buds as we age.&nbsp;



Both our genetics and our environment shape our taste preferences, whether we like <a href="https://www.23andme.com/topics/traits/sweet-salty/">salty or sweet snacks</a>, for instance, or our <a href="https://www.23andme.com/topics/traits/bitter-taste/">bitter taste perception</a>. But our taste perceptions also change <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8618294/">as we age</a>.&nbsp;



There are multiple factors for this including physiological ones that can dull taste receptor cells. Some studies indicate an age-related decline in sweet and salty taste perception, but with contradictory results. Our data indicate that as people age they report liking sweet candy more than sour ones.&nbsp;



<h6 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-genetic-sex-matters">Genetic sex matters</h6>



We also saw differences in responses between males vs females, defined here solely by chromosomal sex, not necessarily sex assigned at birth or gender identity.



More men than women said they liked horror films, but they were not popular with either men or women. About 37 percent of men said they like horror films, and about 32 percent of women felt that way but a majority of both men and women said they disliked scary movies.&nbsp;



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="633" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Genetic-Sex-Halloween-Preferences-1024x633.png" alt="This bar chart looks at differences in preferences based on genetic sex" class="wp-image-30402" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Genetic-Sex-Halloween-Preferences-1024x633.png 1024w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Genetic-Sex-Halloween-Preferences-300x185.png 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Genetic-Sex-Halloween-Preferences-768x474.png 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Genetic-Sex-Halloween-Preferences-880x544.png 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Genetic-Sex-Halloween-Preferences.png 1104w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



As for a fear of spiders, we also saw a difference but a majority of both men and women said they weren’t afraid of spiders. Only about 22 percent of men said they were afraid of spiders and about 45 percent of women said they were afraid of them.



<h6 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-horror">The horror</h6>



Mapping some of this data into a sort of Venn diagram of fears we see that there are a chosen few — about 20 percent of those surveyed — who describe themselves as brave, not afraid of spiders, and fans of horror films.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="697" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Not-Brave-v-Fearful-e1665524256291-1024x697.png" alt="Ven Diagram looking at overlap between fears and preferences." class="wp-image-30403" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Not-Brave-v-Fearful-e1665524256291-1024x697.png 1024w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Not-Brave-v-Fearful-e1665524256291-300x204.png 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Not-Brave-v-Fearful-e1665524256291-768x523.png 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Not-Brave-v-Fearful-e1665524256291-880x599.png 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Not-Brave-v-Fearful-e1665524256291-1180x803.png 1180w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Not-Brave-v-Fearful-e1665524256291.png 1466w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



Perhaps Halloween is ideally made for them, but even those of us who are fearful, don’t like scary movies, and are afraid of spiders can at least look forward to candy.&nbsp;



We plan to continue to collect these data over time. We also hope to look at how genetics might play a role, not just in how we experience Halloween but what these traits might say about mental health conditions and how they might change with age.

Trick or Treat, Scary or Sweet

Bolstered by the early success of recruitment for our<a href="https://www.23andme.com/rare-disease-research-study/"> Rare Disease Research Study</a>, 23andMe has expanded its scope from four to now include twelve rare conditions.
Finding and then enrolling participants in the study of rare diseases has always been a challenge for scientists. Diseases are considered rare if they affect fewer than 200,000 people in the U.S., and with those numbers spread out across the country finding and then getting participants for research is difficult. Even when the studies move forward, they often include very few people, which hampers the ability to make meaningful insights.
<h6>23andMe research model and rare disease</h6>
About a year ago 23andMe published a paper illustrating how our research model is uniquely positioned for this kind of research. The paper outlined what at the time was believed to be the<a href="https://blog.23andme.com/23andme-research/new-way-to-study-rare-disease/"> largest genetic study of rare diseases ever done</a>. Using insights from that paper, 23andMe launched its Rare Diseases Research Study. 
The handful of conditions we began with included:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.23andme.com/rare-disease-research-study/systemic-sclerosis/">Systemic sclerosis</a>, which causes the hardening of the body’s connective tissue. (This study was first begun in 2021.)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.23andme.com/rare-disease-research-study/anca-associated-vasculitis/">ANCA-associated vasculitis</a>, a group of autoimmune diseases that are characterized by inflammation of small vessels. </li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.23andme.com/rare-disease-research-study/pemphigus-vulgaris/">Pemphigus vulgaris</a>, an autoimmune disorder that involves blistering and erosion of the skin as well as the mucous membranes.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.23andme.com/rare-disease-research-study/dermatomyositis/">Dermatomyositis</a>, an inflammatory disease marked by muscle weakness and a distinctive skin rash.</li>
</ul>
Before launching the Rare Disease Research Study, some of 23andMe’s rare disease cohorts had fewer than 150 individuals who had consented to participate in research. Since launching the study, we’ve added almost 200 consented research participants to help fuel this research. 
<h6>New Conditions</h6>
With this positive trend, 23andMe added eight more diseases to this study including;
<ul>
<li style="list-style-type: none;">
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"> <a href="https://www.23andme.com/rare-disease-research-study/pulmonary-arterial-hypertension/">Pulmonary arterial hypertension</a>, a rare and progressive form of pulmonary hypertension (PH) that is caused by an obstruction in the small arteries in the lung. </li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.23andme.com/rare-disease-research-study/primary-sclerosing-cholangitis/">Primary sclerosing cholangitis</a>, a chronic disease in which the bile ducts inside and outside the liver become inflamed and scarred, and eventually narrowed or blocked.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.23andme.com/rare-disease-research-study/pulmonary-fibrosis/">Pulmonary fibrosis</a> is a lung disease that occurs when lung tissue becomes damaged and scarred.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.23andme.com/rare-disease-research-study/myasthenia-gravis/">Myasthenia gravis</a>, a chronic autoimmune disorder in which antibodies destroy the communication between nerves and muscle, resulting in weakness of the skeletal muscles.  </li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.23andme.com/rare-disease-research-study/myelodysplastic-syndrome/">Myelodysplastic syndrome</a>, a group of disorders caused by blood cells that are poorly formed or don&#8217;t work properly.  </li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.23andme.com/rare-disease-research-study/lymphangioleiomyomatosis/">Lymphangioleiomyomatosis</a>, a lung disease caused by the abnormal growth of smooth muscle cells, especially in the lungs and lymphatic system.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.23andme.com/rare-disease-research-study/giant-cell-arteritis/">Giant cell arteritis,</a> a part of a group of disorders that cause inflammation within blood vessels, most commonly in the head.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.23andme.com/rare-disease-research-study/essential-thrombocythemia/">Essential thrombocythemia</a>, a condition where too many platelets are produced in a person’s bone marrow. Symptoms develop over time but they can lead to difficulty breathing, weakness, fatigue, clotting, strokes, and an enlarged spleen, among other things.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
The goal is to recruit 1,000 participants for each of these conditions which can help us have stronger statistical power for research. This can drive meaningful insights that could ultimately lead to the development of better treatments. We hope to expand this study further by adding new rare conditions in the future.
To learn more go<a href="https://www.23andme.com/rare-disease-research-study/"> here</a>.

23andMe Adds More Conditions to Rare Disease Research Study

In the latest update to 23andMe’s Ancestry Reports and features, we’ve added finer detail for customers with Ashkenazi Jewish ancestry, allowing them to trace their family connections back to seven genetic groups corresponding to regions within Eastern and Central Europe.
Some of these regions overlap, but they map to areas with deep historical and cultural significance for people of Ashkenazi ancestry. The long history of pogroms, persecution, and the devastating horror of the Holocaust annihilated the connections of many of those with Ashkenazi ancestry to their families’ historical origins. DNA testing has the potential to offer hints to those connections where family history may be lacking.
That is partly the purpose of this update, to offer customers with Ashkenazi ancestry a deeper connection to those historical regions and cultural connections.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-30348 size-large" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/AK-Content-Image-490x1024.png" alt="" width="490" height="1024" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/AK-Content-Image-490x1024.png 490w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/AK-Content-Image-143x300.png 143w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/AK-Content-Image-768x1606.png 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/AK-Content-Image-421x880.png 421w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/AK-Content-Image-564x1180.png 564w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/AK-Content-Image.png 815w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 490px) 100vw, 490px" />
<h2>What is Ashkenazi Jewish ancestry?</h2>
People with Ashkenazi ancestry are connected to Jews who settled in Central and Eastern Europe during the Middle Ages. The word “Ashkenazi” is thought to come from the name Ashkenazi, a descendant of Noah in the Hebrew bible.
During their long history in Europe, Ashkenazi Jews faced persecution and cultural isolation that, in turn, impacted their genetics.  Starting in the 11th century, Jews living in Europe began to experience intense persecution, which eventually led to their expulsion from many countries. This, along with the plague that hit Europe in the 14th and 15th centuries, decimated the Jewish population, which plummeted by close to 90 percent.
Those forces that isolated the population and drastically reduced its size created what genetics called a “population bottleneck.” Bottlenecks can be caused by geographic barriers, disease, migration, or persecution isolating a population over generations. That is what happened among Ashkenazi Jewish communities of Central and Eastern Europe.
Scientists think that, because of this bottleneck, the 10 million Ashkenazi Jews who are alive today have descended from just a few hundred founding individuals.  Interestingly, their modern descendants remain genetically more similar to other Jewish populations than their European neighbors. In the twentieth century, amidst two World Wars and the Holocaust, and after the war years, many Ashkenazi Jews immigrated to what is now Israel or to the Americas in search of greater cultural and religious acceptance. Today, over five million ethnic Ashkenazi Jews live in the U.S.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-30365 size-large" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Western-Europe-AK-image-1024x841.png" alt="" width="1024" height="841" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Western-Europe-AK-image-1024x841.png 1024w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Western-Europe-AK-image-300x246.png 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Western-Europe-AK-image-768x631.png 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Western-Europe-AK-image-880x723.png 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Western-Europe-AK-image-1180x969.png 1180w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />
<h2>Ancestry composition update</h2>
23andMe’s Ancestry Composition report is a living analysis that improves as we add new reference data. Underlying our Ancestry reports are powerful algorithms and analytical tools developed by 23andMe population geneticists and engineers to offer our customers more insights into their ancestral origins. Over the last few years, we’ve updated results for people with <a href="https://blog.23andme.com/ancestry-reports/african-ethnolinguistic-groups/">African Ancestry</a>, <a href="https://blog.23andme.com/ancestry-reports/ancestry-composition-update-china/">Chinese ancestry,</a> <a href="https://blog.23andme.com/ancestry-reports/indigenous-genetic-ancestry/">Indigenous American ancestry</a>, and <a href="https://blog.23andme.com/ancestry-reports/caribbean-latin-american/">Latinx ancestry</a>, for instance.
In this update, the new methodology and algorithms use data from groups of people of Ashkenazi ancestry with four grandparents from specific regions in Central and Eastern Europe. We can connect customers with Ashkenazi ancestry to those regional genetic groups through their shared DNA.
<h2>Ashkenazi Jewish genetic groups</h2>
Almost all of our customers on the <a href="https://customercare.23andme.com/hc/en-us/articles/218392668-Upgrading-to-23andMe-s-Newest-Chip-Version">latest genotyping chip</a>, V5, who have more than 90 percent Ashkenazi ancestry, will receive at least one match to one of those genetic groups. This means they share high genetic similarity with people in that genetic group. About 80 percent of our customers on the latest chip with more than 75 percent Ashkenazi ancestry will receive a match. About 900,000 customers with Ashkenazi ancestry will receive a match to one of these regional genetic groups. While customers may receive a likely or highly likely match to one of these genetic groups, this update does not provide a more detailed breakdown of customers’ Ashkenazi Jewish ancestry percentage.  
While some regions overlap, we’ve distinguished each geographically and descriptively. The names of these clusters also attempt to indicate the geographic areas.
The clusters include:
<ul>
<li> Belarusian Jews — this region aligns with Belarus.</li>
<li> Lithuanian Jews — this region includes Lithuania, Latvia, and Belarus.</li>
<li> Western European Jews —this region includes southwestern Germany, as well as the Netherlands near the Rhine River.</li>
<li> Southeastern Polish Jews — this region overlaps with southeastern Poland.</li>
<li> Eastern Polish and Western Ukrainian Jews — this region includes eastern Poland and western Ukraine.</li>
<li> West Central Ukrainian Jews, — this region includes west-central Ukraine.</li>
<li> Central European and Western Ukrainian Jews — this region includes western Ukraine, Hungary, Romania, and Slovakia.</li>
</ul>
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-30364 size-largest" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/So.-Lithuanian-Image-566x1180.png" alt="" width="566" height="1180" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/So.-Lithuanian-Image-566x1180.png 566w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/So.-Lithuanian-Image-144x300.png 144w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/So.-Lithuanian-Image-768x1601.png 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/So.-Lithuanian-Image-491x1024.png 491w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/So.-Lithuanian-Image-422x880.png 422w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/So.-Lithuanian-Image.png 990w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 566px) 100vw, 566px" />
<h2>Your ancestry matters for your health</h2>
While this update provides essential connections for customers with Ashkenazi ancestry, it also offers the opportunity to remind people that their ancestry matters for their health, too.
In the case of people with Ashkenazi ancestry, their unique history, which led to their isolation, also had genetic implications. People with Ashkenazi ancestry are more likely to carry genetic variants that cause certain single-gene recessive Mendelian conditions such as<a href="https://www.23andme.com/topics/carrier/gaucher-disease-type-1/"> Gaucher disease</a>,<a href="https://www.23andme.com/topics/carrier/canavan-disease/"> Canavan disease</a>, and<a href="https://www.23andme.com/topics/carrier/tay-sachs-disease"> Tay-Sachs disease</a>. In addition, people with Ashkenazi ancestry are more likely to carry the so-called “founder variants” in the<a href="https://www.23andme.com/brca/"> BRCA1 and BRCA2 t</a>hat increase the risk of breast, ovarian, and prostate cancer. 
<h2>Find out more</h2>
With more than 2,000 geographic regions, mitochondrial and Y-chromosome haplogroups, <a href="https://you.23andme.com/reports/ancestry_composition_hd/?assessment_id=ancestry_composition_hd.achd_admixture_dating">Ancestry Timeline</a>, <a href="https://you.23andme.com/tools/relatives/dna/">advanced DNA comparison</a>, <a href="https://you.23andme.com/family/relatives/">DNA Relatives</a>, and a <a href="https://you.23andme.com/family/tree/">genetic Family Tree</a>, 23andMe offers more specificity, more interactivity, and more to explore. 23andMe’s Ancestry Composition improves over time as 23andMe adds new populations and regions, offering customers a chance to see more granularity in their results.
23andMe customers can go to their <a href="https://you.23andme.com/ancestry/">Ancestry Overview</a> to start exploring. 
Not yet a customer? Find out more about 23andMe’s ancestry offerings <a href="https://www.23andme.com/dna-ancestry/">here</a>.

Latest Posts — Page 32