The numbers are staggering.&nbsp;
In the last two decades, the number of Americans with <a href="https://www.23andme.com/topics/health-predispositions/type-2-diabetes/">Type 2 diabetes</a> has reached epidemic proportions. More<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/basics/type2.html"> than a third</a> 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.&nbsp;
About 34 million people in the US have diabetes, and 20 percent don&#8217;t know it. Type 2 diabetes is the seventh leading cause of death in the United States. The costs for treating those with diabetes are estimated to be more than $327 billion annually, according to the<a href="https://www.diabetes.org/resources/statistics/cost-diabetes"> American Diabetes Association.</a>
<h6>Preventable</h6>
Delayed diagnosis for those who are pre-diabetic as well as those who have already developed type 2 diabetes, hampers effective treatment. According to the Centers for Disease Control, more than seven million people in the United States have undiagnosed diabetes. And more than 80 million&nbsp;are pre-diabetic and at risk.
This is all for a largely preventable condition.
Like a lot of different conditions, early diagnosis or more accurate predictors for risk could help those at the highest risk for type 2 diabetes. Right now, the process by which we screen for the risk of developing type 2 diabetes relies primarily on age, family history, and body mass index (BMI). But a recent study by researchers from 23andMe identified how we could improve that, offering hope to identify people sooner who have an increased likelihood of developing type 2 diabetes.
<h6>Improving Screening</h6>
The study, published in a special issue of the journal<a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/23213/dna-based-population-screening-for-precision-public-health"> Frontiers in Genetics</a> found that adding genetics in the form of a polygenic risk model to family health history and BMI can substantially improve current screening for type 2 diabetes.
“Type 2 diabetes is an enormous public health issue affecting millions of people in the United States alone,” said Jeff Pollard, MD, 23andMe’s Director of Medical Affairs and a co-author of the study. “This paper shows that using a polygenic risk model for T2D adds information that is separate from family history, countering one major argument against the utility of using this kind of polygenic risk model in population screening.”
Not only does adding the polygenic risk model improve screening for those at risk for type 2 diabetes, but it would also identify slightly more individuals with type 2 diabetes who simply don’t yet know they have it. This offers opportunities for earlier treatment for those with the condition and prevention for those who have not yet developed type 2 diabetes.
<h6>Polygenic Scores</h6>
Over the last several years, scientists have developed so-called polygenic scores that rely on large sets of genetic and non-genetic data to better calculate disease risk. For this study 23andMe, researchers relied on data from more than 3.8 million 23andMe customers who consented to participate in research. Then our scientists combined results from several genome-wide association studies to identify more than 11,000 genetic variants associated with type 2 diabetes. From there, researchers built a model to assess the likelihood of developing the condition. 
The field of genetic prediction has relied mostly on data from participants of European descent, and the lack of global representation has often meant that polygenic scores developed in one population don&#8217;t work as well in others. In this study, however, 23andMe scientists were able to show that the PGS would help in screening practices in the Hispanic/Latino community as well.
Although 23andMe uses a polygenic risk score for its<a href="https://www.23andme.com/topics/health-predispositions/type-2-diabetes/"> Type 2 Diabetes Report (Powered by 23andMe research)</a>, it is not the same as the polygenic risk score used in this research. The T2D report calculates a polygenic score based on more than 1000 genetic variants, the research is based on a model that includes 11,999 variants. In addition, the report also relied on phenotypic data from more than 1.1 million 23andMe customers who consented to participate in research. While the research included phenotypic data from more than 1.6 million customers who consented to participate in research.

<hr>
Read more posts on type 2 diabetes and polygenic scores:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://blog.23andme.com/23andme-research/type-2-diabetes-data/">23andMe Data on the Genetics of Type 2 Diabetes</a></li>
<li><a href="https://blog.23andme.com/health-traits/spit-podcast-takes-on-type-2-diabetes/">Spit Podcast Takes on Type 2 Diabetes</a></li>
<li><a href="https://blog.23andme.com/health-traits/type-2-diabetes/">23andMe Offers New Genetic Report on Type 2 Diabetes</a></li>
</ul>

23andMe Blog

23andMe Blog Team

Improving Screening for Type 2 Diabetes

This week, we released a new report on Glaucoma for 23andMe+ Premium members.
 Glaucoma refers to a group of eye conditions that cause damage to the optic nerve, which relays information from the eye to the brain. This damage, usually caused by an imbalance of fluid and pressure in the eye, can result in gradual vision loss that may start as blind spots or loss of side (peripheral) vision and worsen over time. 
 Over three<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/visionhealth/resources/features/glaucoma-awareness.html"> million Americans</a> have glaucoma, and it is the second-leading cause of blindness after macular degeneration. The condition is more prevalent among<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/visionhealth/resources/features/glaucoma-awareness.html"> certain groups</a>, including individuals over 60, Black Americans over 40, and individuals with certain health conditions, like high blood pressure and diabetes. It can also run in families.
<h6> About Glaucoma</h6>
There are<a href="https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/glaucoma/symptoms-causes/syc-20372839#:~:text=Angle%2Dclosure%20glaucoma%2C%20also%20called,the%20eye%20and%20pressure%20increases."> several types</a> of glaucoma. The most common, open-angle glaucoma, happens when a buildup of protein in the eye prevents fluid from draining, causing pressure in the eye to rise slowly. A second type, called angle-closure glaucoma, occurs when the iris bulges forward, blocking the drainage angle formed by the cornea and iris. Onset can be gradual or sudden.
 Symptoms vary depending on the type and stage of the condition. Signs of gradual onset glaucoma include loss of side (peripheral) vision and blind spots. Signs of sudden onset include headaches, severe eye pain, vision loss, nausea, and vomiting. 
<h6>A New Report</h6>
 The new report, which is powered by data from consented 23andMe research participants, uses machine learning techniques to estimate an individual’s likelihood of developing both open-angle and closed-angle glaucoma.
 This estimate is made using a statistical model that includes more than 8,000 genetic markers and information on an individual’s ethnicity and birth sex.
<h6> Taking Action</h6>
 While early management and medical treatment can slow the progression of glaucoma, there is no cure.
 Several lifestyle interventions have been shown to help manage eye pressure and slow vision loss. Getting regular, moderate exercise can help, as can avoiding inverted yoga positions and other activities that may increase eye pressure. Wearing eye protection to prevent injuries and limiting caffeine consumption is also recommended. 
<h6> Learn More</h6>
 23andMe’s new Glaucoma Report (Powered by 23andMe Research) is available to all annual members of the 23andMe+ Premium membership. To view your report, go <a href="https://you.23andme.com/reports/prs.glaucoma/">here</a>.
Not yet an annual subscriber to the 23andMe+ Premium membership?
Find out more <a href="https://www.23andme.com/membership/">here</a>.

New 23andMe+ Premium Report on Glaucoma

We rightfully honor Mother’s Day and Father’s Day, but for those of us to be lucky enough to have them, Sibling’s Day can be just as powerful. 
This year, Siblings Day is particularly memorable for Victor Farr, a 20-year-old student from Florida who recently met his biological sister Eva for the first time. 
For 18-year-old Eva, who’s also from Florida, it’s even more than that. She’d been searching for connections to her birth family for years. In a message she sent to Victor before they met in person, she wrote:
“My heart and soul have been lost without you for the past eighteen years. I kept wondering, will I ever get a sibling? ‘Will God answer my prayers and put a sibling at my feet?’”
When they met for the first time in a small café, they enveloped each other in a prolonged embrace. There were no words.
“To be connected with a biological sibling is more than a feeling,” Victor said. “It brings the sense of connection and understanding of who I really am.”
Eva was both overwhelmed and overjoyed. An only child adopted by a single mom, she’d been searching for her birth family for years.
For Victor, the moment was equally emotionally loaded but a little different. He knows he’s lucky to have had older sisters who took care of him after he was adopted from Guatemala as a baby. Victor shares with them the bond that comes with growing up in the same household. A shared history and the unspoken understanding that comes with knowing someone from the time before you could talk.
But as an adoptee, Victor also had a hidden history. He never knew much about his origins, his birth parents’ story, or the context that comes with knowing all that. Victor wasn’t haunted by all that. Long ago, he’d come to terms with probably never knowing. 
But on Christmas in 2020 his adoptive father gave him 23andMe as a gift. Victor didn’t expect to find family; he thought using 23andMe might help him learn more about his heritage and mix of indigenous, Iberian, and European ancestry that often is part of being Guatemalan. Although he was curious, it still took him months to actually send in his kit for testing. And he was slow to actually open up his results. That didn’t happen until mid-2021. He was stunned by what he found.
“I was blown away,” he said.
Before that moment, Victor only knew that he came from Guatemala, and from his adoption records, he had his mother’s name. But after opening his 23andMe results, he decided to opt in to participate in DNA Relatives and found that at the top of his list was a full biological sister named Eva. He struggled a bit with what to say to her at first.
“What do you say in a message like that?” he said.
But eventually sent her a simple message and asked to connect, and a few days later she responded.
“It’s miraculous, such a blessing,” said Victor, who is studying for the ministry.
The two exchanged messages and learned that they’d grown up not very far apart. She’s at a small college that Victor had considered attending. He marveled at the idea that they could have been on the same campus or crossed paths and never have known they were siblings.
For both of them, making the connection helped to fill in gaps in their background and grounded them. Eva had a bit more information on their birth mother, and even a photo.
Seeing his mother’s face sent a wave of emotion over him.
 &#8220;It was overwhelming,” Victor said. “I had hoped and dreamed that maybe I might be able to see her one day. Seeing that photo was so emotional.&#8221;
But it was meeting Eva in person, seeing himself in her features, talking to someone who shared history – that up until then had been hidden to both of them – that was life-changing, he said.
&#8220;She&#8217;s like a female version of my younger self,&#8221; he said.
Beyond the shared DNA and the resemblance, Victor said he felt something more. Two years older, Victor suddenly felt something new — the responsibility of being an older brother. On his way to their first in-person meeting, he’d told himself to project confidence because he thought that maybe Eva would feel “shy and overwhelmed.”
“Radiate your light and calmness so she may find herself comfortable,” he told himself.
Since that first meeting, his identity as an older brother has only grown stronger. 
“To be connected with Eva gives me a sense of identity,” Victor said. “I am an older brother who loves and serves his little sister.”

Celebrating National Sibling Day with Victor and Eva

A 23andMe study published this month provides insight into the cause and overlapping genetics of two mental health disorders – depression and bipolar disorder.  
The National Institutes of Health estimates that more than 16 million Americans are affected by depression each year, while nearly 6 million Americans have bipolar disorder.
Genetics and environmental factors — childhood trauma and poverty, for instance — influence the development of both depression and bipolar disorder. Understanding the interplay between those two factors may help researchers develop more targeted treatments. 
<h2>AFFECT Study</h2>
The study, known as the<a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41398-022-01877-2.pdf?proof=t%3B%5D"> Affective disorders, Environment, and Cognitive Trait (AFFECT) study</a>, looked at data from about 50,000 23andMe customers who consented to participate in research over more than nine months. The study was conducted in collaboration with Lundbeck, a company dedicated to restoring brain health. The research provides a highly valuable real-world dataset, deepening our understanding of two of the most highly impactful mood disorders. Of those participating, 15,000 reported a diagnosis of major depression, and almost 10,000 reported that they had bipolar disorder. The remaining individuals reported having neither condition.
The study collected self-reported data and included background health and demographic information. In addition to genetic data, it incorporated information from a series of online surveys, behavioral assessments, and cognitive tests. 
“The AFFECT study represents a unique resource for dissecting the structure of mood disorders across multiple levels of analysis,” the researchers said. In addition, the study&#8217;s fully remote nature provides valuable insights for future virtual and decentralized clinical trials within mood disorders.”
<h2>Results Consistent with Previous Studies</h2>
While these two conditions are different, they share many of the same symptoms. These similarities reinforce the notion that the conditions may fall across a spectrum. Among those overlapping symptoms, the most common were depression, mania, anxiety, and indistinct physical aches and pains. While both those with major depression and bipolar disorder reported sleep problems or substance abuse issues, those two issues were more common among those with bipolar disorder and, according to the researchers, were one of the strongest differentiation points between the two conditions. The study found that symptoms for both conditions often began in pre-teens and often involved some sort of childhood trauma; about 63 percent of those with depression or bipolar disorder reported an adverse childhood experience.
The study is another in a series of studies that 23andMe has either directed or contributed data to advance our understanding of depression and bipolar disorder. The most recent was<a href="https://blog.23andme.com/23andme-research/genetics-of-depression/"> a study last year</a> by the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs that included data from more than 1.2 million individuals. 23andMe also contributed data used in a <a href="https://blog.23andme.com/23andme-research/new-insights-into-the-genetics-of-depression/">genetic study</a> by the University of Edinburgh published in the journal<a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41593-018-0326-7"> Nature Neuroscience</a> three years ago. Each has uncovered new genetic associations with the two conditions. 
Researchers will continue to study the data from the AFFECT study to find clues about how genetics and environmental factors may combine to impact brain function.

A Glimpse at Depression and Bipolar Disorder Study

<figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-style-default"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="576" src="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Untitled-design-1024x576.png" alt="" class="wp-image-29658" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Untitled-design-1024x576.png 1024w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Untitled-design-300x169.png 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Untitled-design-768x432.png 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Untitled-design-880x495.png 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Untitled-design-1180x664.png 1180w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Untitled-design.png 1920w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>
 
23andMe has landed on<a href="https://www.comparably.com/"> Comparably’s</a> 2022 list of<a href="https://www.comparably.com/awards/winners/best-company-bay-area-2022"> Best Places to Work in the San Francisco Bay Area</a>.
 The list is based on sentiment ratings provided by current employees across almost 20 workplace culture categories, including leadership, development opportunities, and work-life balance.
 23andMe ranked<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/leading-companies-in-bay-area-according-to-employees-2022-3#24-strava-2"> No. 25</a> out of 50 companies.
 In an anonymous review, one 23andMe employee described the company as “a great overall experience,” with “nice people to work with, lots of career growth opportunities, and a fun work environment.”

23andMe Named a 2022 Best Place to Work

Using data from more than 3 million people, a team of researchers from the<a href="https://www.thessgac.org/"> Social Science Genetic Association Consortium</a> completed what is now the <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41588-022-01016-z">largest genetic study</a> ever done on educational attainment, the measure of the number of years someone spends in school.
“Educational attainment is influenced primarily by institutional and environmental factors, such as socioeconomic status, school quality, and the neighborhood where you grow up,&#8221;said <a href="https://research.vu.nl/en/persons/aysu-okbay">Aysu Okbay</a>, the study’s lead author and an assistant professor at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. &#8220;But psychological characteristics that are influenced by genes, including certain cognitive abilities and personality traits, also matter for school performance.” 
<h6>Genetic Factors</h6>
It’s estimated that at least 20 percent of the variation in educational attainment between people can be traced back to genetic factors. But each genetic variant — each single nucleotide polymorphism or SNP — only has a minute influence. This illustrates “polygenic” influence on educational attainment, where no single common variant plays a large role. 
Although this study found more than 3,900 SNPs associated with educational attainment, the researchers estimate that there are likely tens of thousands if not more that play a role. Taken together, the SNPs included in this study explain about 13 percent of the variance in educational attainment among people of European ancestry. In comparison, household income predicts about 7 percent of the variation in educational attainment, while a mother’s education level predicts about 15 percent, according to the researchers.
<h6>More Data</h6>
The genetic associations identified in this study, however, explain far less of the variance in educational attainment among people of non-European ancestry. Although this study included more than 2 million 23andMe customers who consented to participate in research, the researchers argue that an even larger study with a more diverse set of research participants would uncover more relevant genetic variants and be more relevant for people of non-European ancestry.
This is not the first time the consortium, which includes scientists from a dozen institutions around the world, has looked specifically at educational attainment. The last study, which had only a third as many participants and was<a href="https://blog.23andme.com/23andme-research/massive-study-on-the-genetics-of-educational-attainment/"> published in 2018</a>, found about 1,200 genetic variants that, taken together, suggested an association with brain development.
In a <a href="https://www.thessgac.org/faqs">detailed document</a> that accompanied the publication of the current study, the researchers explain that the connection to brain development isn’t likely to be a direct one. Instead, brain development affects psychological characteristics like cognitive performance and personality traits that in turn lead to behavioral tendencies. These tendencies, in combination with other factors, play a role in outcomes at school. For example, differences in school performance may relate to sleep quality, attention span, or personality traits. A student who is more willing to listen to a teacher’s instructions and gets a good nights rest might do better in an academic setting, for example. 
Read the full paper <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41588-022-01016-z">here</a>.

New Study on Genetics of Educational Attainment

23andMe supports the idea that we humans should celebrate our differences, not criminalize them.
That’s why we are writing to draw attention to recent legislative efforts across the US that essentially bar transgender youth from gender-affirming treatment. These kinds of laws have grave consequences to children and their families. 23andMe is also among more than 200 major companies to have signed a Human Rights Campaign and Freedom for All Americans statement <a href="https://www.hrc.org/press-releases/200-major-u-s-companies-oppose-anti-lgbtq-state-legislation">opposing anti-LGBTQ+ legislation</a>.
<h6>Gender Affirming Health Care</h6>
As we stated last year, gender-affirming health care for transgender people, including trans youth, is <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2780517">supported by most mainstream medical associations</a>. Gender-affirming health care is literally life-saving for many trans kids. Studies by the <a href="https://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/145/2/e20191725">American Academy of Pediatrics</a>, <a href="https://whatweknow.inequality.cornell.edu/topics/lgbt-equality/what-does-the-scholarly-research-say-about-the-well-being-of-transgender-people/">Cornell University</a>, and other institutions have found that pubertal suppression treatment for trans youth was associated with lower odds of suicidal thoughts. 
Despite this overwhelming scientific support, many states are specifically attempting to criminalize health care for transgender youth. As of today, <a href="https://williamsinstitute.law.ucla.edu/publications/bans-trans-youth-health-care/">15 states</a> have introduced legislation targeting gender-affirming care; ignoring the evidence, gender-affirming treatments for trans children are being treated as felonies and child abuse.
<h6>Access to Care</h6>
Unfortunately, this is not a hypothetical political move, but a very real and terrifying reality for trans kids who are lucky enough to have supportive families. Investigations <a href="https://www.aclutx.org/en/news/texas-wants-take-trans-kids-their-supportive-parents-were-suing">have already begun</a>. Despite following best practices in medicine, some gender-affirming clinics are <a href="https://www.hrc.org/press-releases/update-as-top-u-s-companies-urge-elected-leaders-in-texas-and-other-states-to-abandon-anti-transgender-efforts-surging-opposition-to-attacks-on-lgbtq-youth-begins-crescendoing-across-the-nation">shutting down due to media pressure</a>. Some bills even attempt to ban families from traveling in order to maintain their trans child’s access to medical care.
Even bills that don’t directly target gender-affirming medicine can have an effect on trans health. Recent legislation could forcibly out LGBTQ+ children, make children with gay or trans parents unable to discuss their families in school, and trans children unable to have their name and pronouns respected. This is despite many studies showing that simply <a href="https://news.utexas.edu/2018/03/30/name-use-matters-for-transgender-youths-mental-health/">using a trans youth’s chosen name</a> and <a href="https://www.thetrevorproject.org/2020/07/29/research-brief-pronouns-usage-among-lgbtq-youth/">respecting their pronouns</a> significantly reduces their risk of depression and suicide.
<h6>Trust the Science</h6>
The science is clear. <a href="https://publications.aap.org/pediatrics/article/142/4/e20182162/37381/Ensuring-Comprehensive-Care-and-Support-for">Having supportive family members</a> is associated with better mental and physical health in trans youth. Trans adolescents who receive gender affirmation are often more able to tend to other things, such as academic success, relationship building, and future-oriented planning. Trans kids and their parents and doctors know what’s best for them.
At 23andMe, science is at the heart of what we do, but this isn’t just about the facts, it’s also about people. Trying to legislate away the existence of trans people is not possible. They are part of humanity and have always been. We will continue our work to support and understand each other. Join us as we stand with our employees, customers, friends, and family who are transgender or have trans kids.If you’d like to learn more about the value of gender-affirming care for transgender youth, <a href="https://www.hrc.org/press-releases/thousands-of-parents-join-human-rights-campaign-in-condemning-state-attacks-on-transgender-and-non-binary-youth">listen to parents of trans kids</a> and read this <a href="https://publications.aap.org/pediatrics/article/142/4/e20182162/37381/Ensuring-Comprehensive-Care-and-Support-for">policy statement </a>from the American Academy of Pediatrics. You can also find out more about the status of state legislation to prohibit affirming care from the <a href="https://williamsinstitute.law.ucla.edu/publications/bans-trans-youth-health-care/">UCLA School of Law Williams Institute</a> and <a href="https://www.transformationsproject.org/legislation">how to contact your representatives</a>.

Trust the Science: Support Gender-Affirming Health Care for Trans Kids

Starting this week, our premium annual membership service, 23andMe+ Premium, will be available widely to consumers in the UK and Canada who are interested in exploring a little deeper into what their DNA says about their health and finding ways to research their ancestry faster and more efficiently. 
Previously 23andMe+ Premium had been available in the UK and Canada only to existing Health + Ancestry Service customers on our V5 chip.  As in the US, consumers in the UK and Canada can now purchase a bundle that includes our Health + Ancestry Service with a 1-year prepaid 23andMe+ Premium membership.

 <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-style-default"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="816" src="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Plus-Images-e1646159287864-1024x816.png" alt="" class="wp-image-29583" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Plus-Images-e1646159287864-1024x816.png 1024w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Plus-Images-e1646159287864-300x239.png 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Plus-Images-e1646159287864-768x612.png 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Plus-Images-e1646159287864-880x702.png 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Plus-Images-e1646159287864.png 1070w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>
 
<h6>Premium Content</h6>
In addition to the more than 150 reports Health + Ancestry Service customers already receive, 23andMe+ Premium membership offers members exclusive access to additional premium reports and features delivered throughout the year. These additional benefits give members a way to go deeper into their health.
This premium content includes Pharmacogenetics reports,* which can help you learn about how your DNA may impact the way your body processes certain medications; genetic reports Powered by 23andMe Research, which can provide insight into  your likelihood of developing conditions like high blood pressure, atrial fibrillation, and migraines; as well as enhanced ancestry features including advanced filtering and access to more DNA relatives.

 <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-style-default"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="1024" src="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/UK-23andMe-ancestry-feature-1-1024x1024.png" alt="" class="wp-image-29650" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/UK-23andMe-ancestry-feature-1-1024x1024.png 1024w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/UK-23andMe-ancestry-feature-1-150x150.png 150w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/UK-23andMe-ancestry-feature-1-300x300.png 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/UK-23andMe-ancestry-feature-1-768x768.png 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/UK-23andMe-ancestry-feature-1-880x880.png 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/UK-23andMe-ancestry-feature-1-1180x1180.png 1180w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/UK-23andMe-ancestry-feature-1-271x271.png 271w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/UK-23andMe-ancestry-feature-1-372x372.png 372w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/UK-23andMe-ancestry-feature-1-574x574.png 574w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/UK-23andMe-ancestry-feature-1-980x980.png 980w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/UK-23andMe-ancestry-feature-1.png 1500w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>
 
<h6>Find Out More</h6>
Existing Health + Ancestry Service customers on our V5 chip can join 23andMe+ Premium membership for an annual price of $39 in Canada or £19 in the UK.
Not yet a customer?
Find out more about discounted 23andMe+ Premium membership Bundle pricing <a href="https://www.23andme.com/en-ca/compare-dna-tests/">here</a> or customers in Canada or <a href="https://www.23andme.com/en-gb/compare-dna-tests/">here</a> for those in the UK.
With more genetic reports, more health insights, and more features, we hope 23andMe+ Premium gives individuals the choice to help them discover even more about themselves to keep fueling their health journeys. Health is in our DNA.
<hr />
*The 23andMe PGS test uses qualitative genotyping to detect 6 variants in 3 genes in the genomic DNA of adults from saliva for the purpose of reporting and interpreting information about the processing of certain therapeutics to inform discussions with a healthcare professional. It does not describe if a person will or will not respond to a particular therapeutic and does not describe the association between detected variants and any specific therapeutic. Results should be confirmed in a clinical setting with independent genetic testing before taking any medical action.  Warning: Test information should not be used to start, stop, or change any course of treatment and does not test for all possible variants that may affect metabolism or protein function. The PGS test is not a substitute for visits to a healthcare professional. Making changes to your current regimen can lead to harmful side effects or reduced intended benefits of your medication, therefore consult with your healthcare professional before taking any medical action. For a complete list of the 6 variants tested, visit <a href="https://permalinks.23andme.com/pdf/pgt_product_info_page_21jan2020.pdf">Pharmacogenetics Important Test Information</a>.

Going Deeper with 23andMe+ Premium 

Kim Gugliotta, 56, fills her plate with healthy foods like legumes, vegetables, chicken, fish, and tofu. She walks for at least 30 minutes a day. And she’s a regular on the pickleball courts of Ft. Lauderdale, Fl.



But Kim wasn’t always so health-conscious.&nbsp;



<h6 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-making-the-change">Making the change</h6>



Just a few years ago, she would have opted for “steak and cheeseburgers” and would have been tempted to skip her daily walk. But once she received reports from her <a href="https://www.23andme.com/dna-health-ancestry/">23andMe Health + Ancestry test</a>, everything changed.



Kim, a 23andMe+ member, discovered from her reports that she had an increased genetic likelihood of developing coronary artery disease, something she’d not heard before nor expected given that she had no family history of it. A visit to her cardiologist revealed that she had dyslipidemia, an imbalance of lipids that contributes to the development of clogged arteries. She was immediately put on medication and counseled about lifestyle changes.



She considers herself lucky. 



“My doctor was able to prescribe me a statin which probably saved me from years of damage to my arteries! And prolonged my life,” Kim said.&nbsp;



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</div></figure>



<h6 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-heart-health">Heart health</h6>



Heart disease is the leading cause of death for women and men in the US, killing more than 600,000 people each year, <a href="https://www.waff.com/2022/03/09/take-action-your-heatlh-with-23and-me/">said</a> Davis Liu, M.D., chief clinical officer and physician for <a href="https://www.lemonaidhealth.com/">Lemonaid Health</a>. Lifestyle changes, medication, and genetic testing can all be part of a proactive strategy to protect and improve heart health.



“At 23andMe, we have about <a href="https://blog.23andme.com/health-traits/heart-health/">eight reports</a>* that touch on your heart health in one way or another,” <a href="https://www.wtkr.com/coast-live/genetic-testing-for-heart-health-on-coast-live">explained</a> Alisa Lehman, Ph.D., a senior product scientist at 23andMe. “In these reports, we can tell you if you have an increased likelihood of developing conditions like high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and coronary artery disease. Once you have that information, you can work with your doctor to make a plan to try and prevent or manage those conditions.”



Kim knows firsthand just how important that information can be.&nbsp;



“This is our health – let’s find out what kind of issues we may or may not have.”



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*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 important information and limitations regarding each genetic health risk report, visit 23andme.com/test-info/.

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