Improved accuracy. Less uncertainty. Better science.



We like to call 23andMe’s Ancestry Composition a living analysis of your DNA that gets better and more granular over time as more people from different backgrounds become customers.



This fall, we’re upgrading to that analysis to improve accuracy and reduce the number of “unassigned” and non-specific ancestry assignments. But, some 23andMe users may see some pretty significant shifts in their results. For example, many should expect an increase in their most common ancestry proportion and a reduction in their broad ancestries. The end of this post includes a summary of some of the most common ways in which 23andMe users’ results will change.



In parallel with this 23andMe upgrade to the Ancestry Composition analysis, we&#8217;re updating our reference dataset for our recent ancestor locations feature, so you might see your recent ancestor locations and match strengths change as well.  



This is all part of our ongoing efforts to improve our customer offerings. It’s worth looking back at what we’ve done since 2008 when we first started offering customers a breakdown of their ancestry.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-look-back">A look back</h2>



A lot has happened in the past 12 years. Millions of individuals have joined 23andMe, and ongoing research efforts have helped us understand more about genetic diversity worldwide. 23andMe has also made great strides in improving the underlying algorithms and reference populations we use to deliver these results. In 2008, we divided ancestry into three main categories: African, European, and East Asian. Since then, we&#8217;ve offered a series of updates where we refined those original estimates into more and more granular results. Now, customers can discover if their DNA traces to more than 2,000 regions worldwide.



When we update the algorithms or the reference populations used to predict your ancestry, your results are expected to change. That’s why we call Ancestry Composition a living analysis of your DNA. Mostly, these changes should be minor and hopefully provide you with more detail about <a href="https://www.23andme.com/dna-ancestry" target="_blank" rel="noopener">your ancestral origins</a>. Like almost everything we do, these changes are based on science, and we want to be transparent about our actions. That’s why each time we make an update, we share it in our &#8220;Change Log,&#8221; which can be found at the bottom of the <a href="https://you.23andme.com/reports/ancestry_composition_hd/details/">Scientific Details</a> section of your Ancestry Composition report. If you want even more detail, you can look at our <a href="https://www.23andme.com/ancestry-composition-guide/">Ancestry Composition Guide</a>, or for those with a science bent, check out our White Paper.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-more-about-the-most-recent-update-to-ancestry-composition-nbsp">More about the most recent update to Ancestry Composition&nbsp;</h2>



Since 2014, 23andMe has added or expanded dozens of reference populations, but the core Ancestry Composition algorithm has remained almost completely unchanged. Until now.



In 2020, our R&amp;D team developed a new approach that dramatically improves accuracy while reducing unassigned and nonspecific ancestry. This update is a significant part of our latest 23andMe upgrade.



To understand what’s changing, let’s first review the basics.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-simple-step-by-step-guide-to-ancestry-composition">A simple, step-by-step guide to Ancestry Composition</h2>



Step 1: Assigning



First, in our Ancestry DNA update, we separate the customer’s genome data into small segments, similar to train boxcars. Each boxcar contains data for about 300 DNA markers, out of the total of over 650,000 markers we test on our genotyping chip. By dividing 650,000 by 300 DNA markers, we get approximately 2,000 boxcars.



<figure class="wp-block-image alignright"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="300" height="228" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Boxcar-image-300x228.png" alt="An illustration of compring DNA to reference populations" class="wp-image-28574" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Boxcar-image-300x228.png 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Boxcar-image.png 512w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></figure>



For each of those 2,000 DNA boxcars, the algorithm picks the most closely matching genetic population out of the 45 we currently have in many head-to-head match-ups.



But this first step is noisy and prone to error, especially if someone has ancestry, say, from two neighboring populations. If an assignment is made to each boxcar without considering the neighboring boxcars, then the algorithm is missing useful information about ancestry segments extending across several boxcars.



That’s where the next step comes in!



Step 2: Smoothing



In our Ancestry DNA update, the next step of the algorithm is called “smoothing” because it makes the results from the first step less noisy. In this step, we use information from neighboring DNA boxcars to make a more informed decision about the most likely ancestry of individual boxcars.



Let’s say a boxcar seems to match Sudanese ancestry, but many of the surrounding boxcars match Ethiopians with high confidence (Sudan and Ethiopia are neighboring countries). The smoother uses that information to adjust the prediction for that middle boxcar and assigns Ethiopian instead.



Or, say there’s a stretch of boxcars that don’t match Ethiopian or Sudanese with high confidence. Here, the smoother can “zoom out” to a broader population called “Northern East African,” at which point it will be highly confident in that assignment.



<figure class="wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-2 is-cropped wp-block-gallery-1 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex">
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="512" height="449" data-id="28575" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Sudanese-to-Ethiopian-Image.png" alt="An illustration of refining to more specific regions." class="wp-image-28575" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Sudanese-to-Ethiopian-Image.png 512w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Sudanese-to-Ethiopian-Image-300x263.png 300w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px" /></figure>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="512" height="475" data-id="28576" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Northern-East-African-Image.png" alt="An illustration going from Ethiopian to Northern East African" class="wp-image-28576" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Northern-East-African-Image.png 512w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Northern-East-African-Image-300x278.png 300w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px" /></figure>
</figure>



What Are DNA Markers?



DNA markers are specific sequences in the genome used to identify genetic differences between individuals or populations. These markers play a crucial role in genome data analysis by helping scientists match genetic data with reference populations accurately.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-so-what-s-special-about-this-update-to-ancestry-composition">So, what’s special about this update to Ancestry Composition?</h2>



In our Ancestry DNA update, our R&amp;D team realized that we could significantly improve the second step—smoothing—which would dramatically enhance the accuracy of people’s results.



Previously, the models used in the smoothing process were trained using the genomes of thousands of customers. (&#8220;Training&#8221; a model means setting its &#8220;dials&#8221; based on a dataset so that it can make the most accurate predictions.) These pre-trained models were then applied to each new customer&#8217;s genome. In practice, this step was prone to over-generalizing, which customers saw as results with higher levels of unassigned ancestry or non-specific ancestry, such as “Broadly Southern European.”



<figure class="wp-block-image alignright"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="300" height="219" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Smoothing-Illustration-45-populations-300x219.png" alt="An illustration of the steps for smoothing using 45 reference populations" class="wp-image-28577" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Smoothing-Illustration-45-populations-300x219.png 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Smoothing-Illustration-45-populations-1024x749.png 1024w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Smoothing-Illustration-45-populations-768x561.png 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Smoothing-Illustration-45-populations-880x643.png 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Smoothing-Illustration-45-populations-1180x863.png 1180w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Smoothing-Illustration-45-populations.png 1547w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></figure>



It was analogous to estimating an individual’s salary based on statewide salary data. But what if we could estimate that individual’s salary based on data from their specific zip code? So, the R&amp;D team developed a new approach that trains a custom smoother model for each customer, avoiding the over-generalizations of the previous approach. This custom smoother model still reduces the noise across DNA boxcars and produces Ancestry Composition results that are, at the same time, more accurate and more specific.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-will-customers-results-be-affected-by-this-update">How will customers’ results be affected by this update?</h2>



While customers with ancestry from certain parts of the world will be affected more by this update than others, everyone should see some adjustments to their Ancestry Composition.



We understand that changing results can be confusing, but Ancestry Composition is a living analysis, and this update reduces uncertainty and improves accuracy for most customers.



Here are some trends in how customers’ results are changing:&nbsp;



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Many customers, in particular customers with ancestry from Central &amp; South America, could see a significant reduction in the amount of their unassigned ancestry.</li>



<li>Many customers could see a significant reduction in the number of their broad ancestry assignments, such as “Broadly Northwestern European.”</li>



<li>In general, we should now be better able to confidently assign more of your most common ancestry. For example, if you have primarily British &amp; Irish ancestry, you may see your British &amp; Irish percentage increase with this update.</li>



<li>Many customers will see a drop in the number of their trace ancestry assignments.</li>
</ul>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ancestry-specific-changes-general-trends">Ancestry-Specific Changes (general trends)</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="697" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/What-Changes-Illustration-1024x697.png" alt="This is a matrix of some of the changes in this update" class="wp-image-28578" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/What-Changes-Illustration-1024x697.png 1024w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/What-Changes-Illustration-300x204.png 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/What-Changes-Illustration-768x523.png 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/What-Changes-Illustration-880x599.png 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/What-Changes-Illustration.png 1090w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>







Keep in mind that these are general trends, and changes in your own results may be very different from the changes shown here.



Example customer changes:



<figure class="wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-2 is-cropped wp-block-gallery-2 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex">
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="561" data-id="28580" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Another-Before-and-After-comparison-with-Native-American-Ancestry-1024x561.png" alt="Before and After comparison with Native American Ancestry
" class="wp-image-28580" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Another-Before-and-After-comparison-with-Native-American-Ancestry-1024x561.png 1024w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Another-Before-and-After-comparison-with-Native-American-Ancestry-300x164.png 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Another-Before-and-After-comparison-with-Native-American-Ancestry-768x421.png 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Another-Before-and-After-comparison-with-Native-American-Ancestry-880x482.png 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Another-Before-and-After-comparison-with-Native-American-Ancestry-1180x647.png 1180w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Another-Before-and-After-comparison-with-Native-American-Ancestry-271x149.png 271w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Another-Before-and-After-comparison-with-Native-American-Ancestry-372x204.png 372w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Another-Before-and-After-comparison-with-Native-American-Ancestry-574x315.png 574w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Another-Before-and-After-comparison-with-Native-American-Ancestry-980x537.png 980w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Another-Before-and-After-comparison-with-Native-American-Ancestry.png 1283w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="512" height="373" data-id="28579" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/An-example-of-before-and-after-Anestry-Composition.png" alt="An example of before and after Ancestry Composition
" class="wp-image-28579" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/An-example-of-before-and-after-Anestry-Composition.png 512w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/An-example-of-before-and-after-Anestry-Composition-300x219.png 300w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px" /></figure>
</figure>



Visit your <a href="http://you.23andme.com/reports/ancestry_composition">Ancestry Composition report</a> to see your updated results.



This update is only available to customers on our genotyping platform&#8217;s most recent version (Version 5). You can check which version you are on near the bottom of the “Personal Information” section of your <a href="https://you.23andme.com/user/">profile settings</a> page.

23andMe Blog

23andMe Blog Team

The 23andMe Ancestry Algorithm Gets an Upgrade

This time last year, pre-pandemic, 23andMe brought together a panel of inspiring women to raise awareness about breast cancer.
The message was clear. Knowledge — about risks, treatments, and the resources available to help — gives you the power to take charge of your health. It’s a message that goes well beyond those who face breast cancer. A lot has changed during the last year. But if we&#8217;ve learned anything from this pandemic, it’s that knowledge can empower you to stay healthy.
<div id="attachment_28559" style="width: 181px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-28559" class="wp-image-28559 size-medium" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Laura-Speaking-Last-Year-at-23andMe-171x300.png" alt="Laura speaking during a breast cancer awareness panel at 23andMe." width="171" height="300" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Laura-Speaking-Last-Year-at-23andMe-171x300.png 171w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Laura-Speaking-Last-Year-at-23andMe-583x1024.png 583w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Laura-Speaking-Last-Year-at-23andMe-768x1349.png 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Laura-Speaking-Last-Year-at-23andMe-501x880.png 501w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Laura-Speaking-Last-Year-at-23andMe-672x1180.png 672w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Laura-Speaking-Last-Year-at-23andMe.png 1083w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 171px) 100vw, 171px" />Laura speaking at 23andMe during a panel discussion last year on Breast Cancer Awareness.</div>
So, this year for Breast Cancer Awareness Month, we reached out to one of those women, Laura Osman. Laura spoke so courageously about learning of her own genetic risk for breast and ovarian cancer after getting her BRCA1/BRCA2 (selected variants) <a href="https://www.23andme.com/dna-health-ancestry" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Genetic Health Risk report</a>* from 23andMe. Her story offers a lesson to all of us. She faced her risk head-on, consulted with her doctor, and took action for her health.
Laura, a healthy mother of three and a former All-American middle-distance runner, was stunned. Her 23andMe reports indicated she had a variant in the BRCA1 gene that put her at an elevated risk of breast and ovarian cancer.
&#8220;At first, when I saw it, I thought it was a mistake,&#8221; she said. 
It wasn&#8217;t just that she took good care of herself. Laura also knew that none of the women in her family had had breast or ovarian cancer. On top of that, with each of her pregnancies, Laura and her husband had gone through something called the JScreen. This genetic test looks specifically at genetic conditions that are common among people of Ashkenazi Jewish ancestry. The screens help inform prospective parents about the risk of passing on genetic conditions to their children. There wasn&#8217;t anything found when she did that screen.
Laura was so sure she didn&#8217;t have anything to worry about genetically that she was mostly focused on her 23andMe Ancestry reports when she got her results. She wanted to know if perhaps she had some hidden Swedish ancestry that would explain her blond hair. (It turned out she was 99 percent Ashkenazi Jewish.)
So, it was an utter surprise when looking at her 23andMe&#8217;s BRCA1/BRCA2 (Selected Variants) Genetic Health Risk report* she saw she carried one of the variants 23andMe tests for. 23andMe&#8217;s report looks at just three variants among the thousands of mutations that contribute to cancer risk. These variants are found mostly in people of Ashkenazi Jewish ancestry. But they are among the most well-studied variants and convey significant risk. No matter one&#8217;s ethnicity, having one of them increases the risk for breast and ovarian cancer by 45 percent to 85 percent by the age of 70.
But many individuals who carry a BRCA1 or BRCA2 variant don&#8217;t have a family history of cancer. <a href="https://blog.23andme.com/23andme-research/learn-something-new-for-breast-cancer-awareness-month/">23andMe research</a> found that about 44 percent of individuals with specific BRCA1 or BRCA2 variants did not have a first-degree family history of BRCA-related cancer.  <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/1902783">Several studies</a> have shown that as many as 50 percent of people with one of these mutations wouldn&#8217;t qualify for breast or ovarian cancer screening under current medical guidelines.
&#8220;The 23andMe report said consult with your doctor, so that&#8217;s what I did,&#8221; Laura said.
Her doctor ordered follow-up genetic testing. He deduced that she&#8217;d inherited the risk variant from her father, who&#8217;d battled prostate cancer. Laura knew this was serious; carrying the mutation put her at a much higher risk for both ovarian and breast cancer. It was hard to get her head around what to do next.
&#8220;My body, which I have always viewed as healthy and strong … was a ticking time bomb,&#8221; she said. &#8220;(But) I knew fear and feeling sorry for myself was not an option.&#8221;
She reached out first to friends, then to a national nonprofit called <a href="https://sharsheret.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://sharsheret.org/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1602885105004000&amp;usg=AFQjCNG77RdhN9W5hLpbBtGyhGcnWWWEDA">Sharsheret</a>, which works with Jewish women living with or at increased genetic risk for breast or ovarian cancer. The group offered resources and helped connect her with other women who faced similar risks. Several years ago, 23andMe conducted a smaller study looking at the response to <a href="https://peerj.com/articles/8/">unexpected BRCA</a> findings. That study found that those who learned they carried a risk variant generally took appropriate actions, talking to their doctors and sharing their results with family members, creating what the study called a &#8220;cascade effect&#8221; that benefited relatives who might not know of the family risk for these hereditary cancers.
<div id="attachment_28561" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-28561" class="wp-image-28561 size-medium" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Larua-with-her-husband-and-three-children-300x300.jpeg" alt="Laura with her husband and three young children." width="300" height="300" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Larua-with-her-husband-and-three-children-300x300.jpeg 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Larua-with-her-husband-and-three-children-150x150.jpeg 150w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Larua-with-her-husband-and-three-children-271x271.jpeg 271w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Larua-with-her-husband-and-three-children-372x372.jpeg 372w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Larua-with-her-husband-and-three-children.jpeg 474w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />Laura with her husband and three young children.</div>
In Laura’s case, she wanted to hear from women who chose to have surgery to remove their breasts and ovaries. She wanted to know as much as she could about what to expect if she made that decision. Laura talked more to her doctors and carefully weighed her options.
&#8220;I think it might be much harder for someone who hasn&#8217;t had children yet,&#8221; she said. &#8220;It&#8217;s so different for me because I&#8217;d had my children, but we need to support women whatever their choices.&#8221;
Within five weeks of receiving her 23andMe reports and after undergoing clinical testing recommended by her doctor, Laura underwent the first of what turned out to be three surgeries to remove her ovaries and breasts.
&#8220;It wasn&#8217;t easy,&#8221; she said.
It took a few weeks before she could lift her young daughter and about a month and a half before she was running again. More than a year later, she is back to racing and is doing fine.
&#8220;I am not sure I will ever be able to repay the gratitude I have for 23andMe,&#8221; Laura said. &#8220;(It&#8217;s allowed) me to hopefully stop cancer before it could stop me.&#8221;
<hr />
*The 23andMe PGS 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, including the 23andMe PGS Genetic Health Risk Report for BRCA1/BRCA2 (Selected Variants). Your ethnicity may affect the relevance of each report and how your genetic health risk results are interpreted. The test is not intended to diagnose any disease and does not describe a person&#8217;s overall risk of developing any type of cancer. It 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 treatments. 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.

Raising Awareness about Breast Cancer

By Andrew Todhunter
Stephen Duncan felt a strong connection to Mexican American culture for most of his life, but never knew the truth of his Hispanic ancestry. As we finish<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignright wp-image-28570 size-medium" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Stephen-D-300x228.jpg" alt="Stephen Duncan" width="300" height="228" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Stephen-D-300x228.jpg 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Stephen-D-1024x779.jpg 1024w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Stephen-D-768x584.jpg 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Stephen-D-880x670.jpg 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Stephen-D-1180x898.jpg 1180w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Stephen-D.jpg 1866w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />
Adopted as an infant in western Oklahoma in 1961, Stephen and his adoptive parents believed his ancestry was largely Native American and German. To cultivate that connection, Stephen’s adoptive father Harlston Duncan—himself partly Native American—helped Stephen learn about what they believed were his deep Native American roots. This became a significant part of Stephen’s early life, and he continues to cherish that cultural connection, even after learning that it wasn’t a totally accurate picture of his heritage.
<h6>Sacred Music</h6>
Raised in Oklahoma and now based in Galveston, Texas, Stephen was trained as an ethnomusicologist and attended Seminary at the University of Notre Dame. He has three degrees from Southwestern Oklahoma State University and a doctorate in sacred music from the University of Memphis. He is the Bishop of the Orthodox-Catholic Church of America in Galveston. Stephen also serves as the Director of Fine Art for the Galveston Independent School District.
It wasn’t until recently that Stephen started to search for more information about his birth family. He’d always been curious but didn’t want to hurt his adoptive mother Marian Duncan’s feelings, so he waited until after her passing to investigate. He first used <a href="https://www.23andme.com/dna-health-ancestry" target="_blank" rel="noopener">23andMe’s Health + Ancestry Service</a> to learn more about how his DNA may impact his health. While the genetic insights were helpful, he says, he was amazed by what he learned about his heritage. It was much different than he expected. 
<h6>A Unexpected Ancestry Composition</h6>
According to his Ancestry Composition, about  40 percent of his DNA was from Great Britain and Ireland, about 18 percent from France and Germany, and 13 percent was from Spain and Portugal. Another surprise, he had a small amount of Ashkenazi Jewish ancestry. To his surprise, only about 2 percent of his ancestry was Native American.
Stephen’s biggest surprise though came in 2018, when he received an email from Gabriel Ruggieri, another 23andMe customer who’d opted into DNA Relatives. The message said:
“I just got the report today that we are half brothers,” Gabriel wrote. “It appears we share a mother. If you would like to know me a little more let me know.”
<h6>Meeting His Birth Mother</h6>
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignright wp-image-28567 size-medium" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/with-Mi-Madre-300x300.jpeg" alt="" width="300" height="300" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/with-Mi-Madre-300x300.jpeg 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/with-Mi-Madre-150x150.jpeg 150w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/with-Mi-Madre-768x768.jpeg 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/with-Mi-Madre-880x880.jpeg 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/with-Mi-Madre-271x271.jpeg 271w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/with-Mi-Madre-372x372.jpeg 372w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/with-Mi-Madre-574x574.jpeg 574w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/with-Mi-Madre.jpeg 894w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />
Stunned by the news, Stephen soon learned that his birth mother, Rosa Ruggieri, lived in Urbandale, Iowa, not far from his newly found half brother Gabriel, and four more half-siblings. With their help, Stephen began to explore the rich history of his birth family.
Rosa’s father was Irish American, and her mother was Mexican American, descended from a centuries-old family-centered in the town of Jalostotitlan in the state of Jalisco, Mexico. Stephen’s great grandfather Pedro Gonzales Cornejo immigrated to Texas to escape Pancho Villa in the early 20th century and found work on the railroad. The Cornejo family, Stephen discovered, traces its descent through Spain and Italy as far back as the early 16th century. Thus far, Stephen has been able to follow his family tree as far back as 1505, to an ancestor named Hernando Jaen del Salto Cletages in the town of Jaen in Andalusia, Spain. His mother Rosa feels a strong connection to her Spanish and Mexican roots, and Stephen now calls her mi Madre. This feels appropriate, he said, and helps differentiate Rosa from his adoptive mother.
<h6>Connecting with His Mexican Roots</h6>
<code style="display: none;"> </code>The discovery of his Hispanic heritage has only deepened Stephen’s lifelong appreciation of Mexican and Mexican American culture. “To know that all this stuff you find really cool is part of your family history is amazing,” he said.
Stephen joined a Hispanic Dance group through his position at the Galveston Independent School District and hopes to start a Mariachi band. He has also long loved the music associated with the Sephardic Jewish culture, brought to Mexico through Spain and Portugal beginning in the flight from the Inquisition in the early 1500s. Discovering his small degree of Jewish heritage has helped him deepen that association as well, and to explore the link between the Sephardic and Mexican cultures.
<div id="attachment_28565" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-28565" class="wp-image-28565 size-medium" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/the-siblings-300x198.jpeg" alt="Stephen, second row on the right, with his new found siblings." width="300" height="198" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/the-siblings-300x198.jpeg 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/the-siblings-1024x674.jpeg 1024w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/the-siblings-768x506.jpeg 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/the-siblings-880x580.jpeg 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/the-siblings-1180x777.jpeg 1180w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/the-siblings.jpeg 1280w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />Stephen, second row on the right, with his new found siblings.</div>
“There are many connections to the Sephardic Jewish culture in what we associate with Mexico,” he said. “While corn tortillas had been used for thousands of years, Sephardic Jews may have helped develop wheat flour tortillas as a type of unleavened bread. And the traditional spinning top we see in Mexico was probably influenced by the Jewish dreidel.”
This rich blending of cultures and ancestry through birth and adoption continues in the next generation of Stephen’s family—one of his half-siblings adopted four children from Russia.
Having traveled often to Mexico as a tourist before he knew his heritage, Stephen visited his family’s ancestral town of Jalostotitlan for the first time in 2018. While few Cornejos remain in the area, a local who had known the family remarked on Stephen’s resemblance. “Yep, you look like a Cornejo,” she told him with a smile. For Stephen, the trip to Jalostotitlan felt like an unexpected homecoming.

Embracing Latino Heritage with A Mexican Homecoming

New research published this month adds to a growing list of empirical evidence that people find value in health information gleaned from direct-to-consumer <a href="https://www.23andme.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">genetic testing</a>.
The 23andMe study, published in the journal Molecular Genetics &amp; Genomic Medicine, found that direct-to-consumer testing can lead people to engage in critical conversations with their healthcare providers. In some cases, the results from their reports lead people to make behavioral changes to help lower their disease risk.
&#8220;Most study participants reported that knowing their genetic risk was an advantage,&#8221; said co-lead author Sarah L. Elson, Ph.D., and a 23andMe senior research program manager and senior scientist. &#8220;Many of those who learned about their risk did what you would hope. They either talked to their doctor or made lifestyle changes to help lower their risk.&#8221; <img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/09/bloodclot-300x223.jpg" alt="Blood cells clotting" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-1400" width="300" height="223" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/09/bloodclot-300x223.jpg 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/09/bloodclot.jpg 350w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />
<h6>The Impact of Direct-to-Consumer Genetic Testing</h6>
There have been anecdotal stories from customers about how their results positively impacted their lives, but the study adds data from a large cohort of customers, Elson said.
The study looked at how more than 2,000 people reacted to 23andMe&#8217;s Hereditary Thrombophilia Genetic Health Risk report.* (At the time the name of the report was Inherited Thrombophilia (Factor V Leiden-and Prothrombin-Related.) The participants responded to questions in two different online surveys consisting of just over 100 questions. 
They were asked about their perceptions of venous thromboembolism (VTE) risk, whether they discussed their results with healthcare providers, what if any recommendations they received, what actions they took to manage risk, their emotional responses to receiving risk results, and their perceived value of the information. The report looks at the two most common genetic risk factors for hereditary thrombophilia, more generally known as venous thromboembolism (VTE). VTEs are characterized by either deep vein thrombosis, clots that typically form in the legs, or pulmonary embolisms when clots travel into the lungs. Both are very serious and can lead to long term problems, and in some cases, even death.
<h6>The Prevalence of  VTEs</h6>
In the United States alone, there are between 300,000–600,000 cases of VTEs each year. About a quarter of those with VTEs have one of the two variants tested by 23andMe. These two variants are the Factor V Leiden variant in the F5 gene and the Prothrombin G20210A variant in the F2 gene. This study looked at how people reacted to learning whether they had one of those variants, as reported by 23andMe.
A little more than half of those in this study had one of these 2 variants associated with a higher risk for VTE. Ninety percent of those with a high-risk variant had never been clinically tested for Factor V Leiden or the F2 gene variant. After testing, a majority of consumers in the study — 78 percent of those with one of the risk variants and 58 percent without one of the variants — said that it was advantageous to have the test&#8217;s information. Just under half used that information as the impetus for a discussion with their healthcare provider. 
A majority of participants in the study who learned they had a higher than average genetic risk, found personal utility in receiving that information. The study also found that about 30 percent of the research participants made positive behavioral changes to control their risk, such as exercising more, after learning about their risk. 
<h6>A Growing Body of Research </h6>
The research is the latest in what has been a series of peer-reviewed studies over the last decade, explicitly looking at the impact of direct-to-consumer genetic testing. The best known of these is the <a href="https://www.genomes2people.org/research/pgen/">Impact of Personal Genomics Study</a>, known as the PGen study. The study was led by scientists at the Broad Institute and Harvard Medical School. That study and others have tackled several central questions around direct-to-consumer testing. Among those questions are: Can people understand this information? How do they use their test results? Do they use this information to <a href="https://www.genomes2people.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/20170502_PGen_BMCMedicalGenomics_Nielsen_DietExerciseDTC.pdf">manage their health?</a> Does testing impact their level of knowledge or <a href="https://blog.23andme.com/23andme-research/few-worry-about-genetic-testing/">anxiety regarding genetic health risks? </a>
Previous 23andMe research has also tackled some of these questions. One <a href="https://peerj.com/articles/8/">study</a> looked at how consumers responded to reports that showed an increased genetic risk for breast cancer. That study found that people followed the recommendations in 23andMe&#8217;s BRCA1/BRCA2 (Selected Variants) Genetic Health Risk report,* and talked to their doctors. They also got confirmatory tests from their healthcare providers. And they talked to family members about their potential risk, thereby creating a cascade-like benefit. 
In this latest study, looking at how consumers respond to information in their Hereditary Thrombophilia Genetic Health Risk report, 23andMe’s report also helps people who are asymptomatic and, absent of family history, might not have known of their risk for a VTE without 23andMe&#8217;s test. While the report does not cover all the genetic variants associated with VTEs, it does include the two most common and best-understood variants.
As the researchers state in the new study: &#8220;Taken together, these results suggest that consumers may experience personal utility from receiving DTC genetic results for VTE risk that is distinct from the potential benefit in receiving clinically actionable information.&#8221;
<hr />
*The 23andMe PGS 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.  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 other genetic health risk reports and carrier status reports, click <a href="https://www.23andme.com/test-info/">here</a>. 
&nbsp;

New Study on People’s Response to Information from Direct-to-Consumer Genetic Testing

Starting today, we are offering current 23andMe health service customers in the U.S. access to 23andMe+ Premium, a new annual membership. This membership provides customers with exclusive access to genetic reports, as well as new reports and features as they become available throughout the year. These additional benefits are on top of the initial set of genetic reports customers received when first purchasing their kit.
We’ve heard firsthand that customers want more ways to engage in their personal genetics journey. As science continually advances, we want to provide ongoing access to impactful new genetic health reports, and enhanced health and ancestry features. 
Priced at $29 / year, 23andMe+ Premium will offer existing customers instant access to 10+ exclusive reports and features, including:<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignright wp-image-28529 size-medium" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Heart-Health-Intro-1-1-160x300.png" alt="" width="160" height="300" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Heart-Health-Intro-1-1-160x300.png 160w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Heart-Health-Intro-1-1-545x1024.png 545w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Heart-Health-Intro-1-1-768x1444.png 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Heart-Health-Intro-1-1-468x880.png 468w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Heart-Health-Intro-1-1-628x1180.png 628w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Heart-Health-Intro-1-1.png 982w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 160px) 100vw, 160px" />
<ul>
<li>Pharmacogenetics reports* — discover how your DNA may impact the way your body processes certain medications with three new Pharmacogenetics reports.
<ul>
<li>Includes a Medicine Cabinet feature — simply type in your medication’s name to see if it is included in your Pharmacogenetics reports.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Heart Health reports — learn how genetics may influence your likelihood of developing certain heart-related conditions like high blood pressure and atrial fibrillation.</li>
<li>Migraine report (powered by 23andMe Research) — see if your genetics can increase your likelihood of experiencing migraine headaches and how to avoid certain triggers.</li>
<li>Obstructive Sleep Apnea report (powered by 23andMe Research) — learn if you have a greater chance of developing the condition based on your genetics and, if so, how you can take action.</li>
<li>Enhanced Ancestry features — advanced filtering of DNA relatives and access to up to 3,500 more DNA relatives.</li>
<li>Ongoing new reports and features — get even more personalized genetic reports and more actionable insights throughout the calendar year.<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignright wp-image-28527 size-medium" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/PGt-Home-231x300.png" alt="23andMe mobile pharmacogenomics" width="231" height="300" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/PGt-Home-231x300.png 231w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/PGt-Home-790x1024.png 790w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/PGt-Home-768x996.png 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/PGt-Home-679x880.png 679w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/PGt-Home-910x1180.png 910w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/PGt-Home.png 1583w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 231px) 100vw, 231px" /></li>
</ul>
Existing Health + Ancestry Service customers on our v5 chip can join 23andMe+ Premium by visiting <a href="https://you.23andme.com/subscription/">https://you.23andme.com/subscription/</a>. In the coming months, new customers will be able to join 23andMe+ Premium when they purchase our health service. 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. 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>.

An illustration of a heart for heart health

23andMe+ Premium: An ongoing approach to your genetics

Last June, following the tragic deaths of George Floyd and so many others in the Black community, our CEO <a href="https://www.23andme.com/black-lives-matter">pledged to hold ourselves accountable</a> to make improvements to ensure our people, products, and practices are more diverse, equitable, and inclusive.
Today, we wanted to share some of the steps we’ve started to take.

 <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-style-default"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="536" src="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/DEI-Blog-1024x536.png" alt="" class="wp-image-28515" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/DEI-Blog-1024x536.png 1024w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/DEI-Blog-300x157.png 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/DEI-Blog-768x402.png 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/DEI-Blog-880x461.png 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/DEI-Blog-1180x618.png 1180w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/DEI-Blog.png 1200w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>
 
<h2>Established clear Diversity, Equity &amp; Inclusion (DEI) focus areas</h2>
In order for us to have a clear understanding of the areas where we can best focus our efforts, we conducted an in-depth audit from 2019 through 2020, which included data and feedback from the following sources:
<ul>
<li>Discussions with current and former Black employees</li>
<li>Employee exit survey feedback</li>
<li>Reviewed hiring data, looking at ethnic and gender diversity</li>
<li>Company-wide employee engagement survey responses</li>
<li>Past and current workforce demographics</li>
<li>An audit conducted by <a href="https://mathison.io/">Mathison</a>, an organization focused on hiring diverse talent</li>
</ul>
Based on the findings of this audit, we were able to identify four key company focus areas:
<ol>
<li>Hiring: Attract and hire top, diverse talent.</li>
<li>Employee Experience: Cultivate an inclusive environment that authentically celebrates our shared genome and unique differences.</li>
<li>Product &amp; Research: Use our product to build and sustain DEI in every customer and community interaction.</li>
<li>Community Impact: Use our relationships to build diverse, equitable, and inclusive communities.</li>
</ol>
Our approach is to ensure DEI is the foundation of how 23andMe fundamentally operates—it’s not an afterthought or a separate side effort. We have set clear goals, codified each of these four focus areas in our annual company strategy, and will measure how well we’re making progress quarterly.

 <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-style-default"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="546" src="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/DEI-company-1024x546.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-28513" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/DEI-company-1024x546.jpg 1024w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/DEI-company-300x160.jpg 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/DEI-company-768x409.jpg 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/DEI-company-880x469.jpg 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/DEI-company-1180x629.jpg 1180w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/DEI-company.jpg 1600w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>
 
<h6>Additional efforts aimed at improving DEI</h6>
Although we’ve primarily been working on establishing clear company focus areas, we have made good progress in some workplace, research, product, and community efforts over the past three months. Specifically, the company:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://blog.23andme.com/articles/celebrating-pride-month-a-spotlight-on-sex-and-gender/">Hosted a company-wide Pride event</a> to celebrate our employees and to educate allies</li>
<li><a href="https://blog.23andme.com/articles/black-information-network/">Became a Founding Partner for iHeart Radio’s BIN: Black Information Network</a>, the first and only national and local news audio service dedicated to providing an objective, accurate, and trusted source of continual news coverage with a Black voice and perspective</li>
<li>Began to build a more diverse leadership team by welcoming <a href="https://blog.23andme.com/articles/l-okey-onyejekwe-jr">L. Okey Onyejekwe Jr., MD &amp; JD</a>, as 23andMe’s Vice President of Healthcare Operations &amp; Medical Affairs</li>
<li><a href="https://blog.23andme.com/articles/transatlantic-slave-trade-paper">Published research detailing one of the most comprehensive investigations of the transatlantic slave trade ever done</a>, based on genetic data from close to 50,000 people</li>
<li><a href="https://blog.23andme.com/articles/chronic-kidney-disease-report">Launched a new Genetic Health Risk report on APOL1-related chronic kidney disease</a>*, which has particular relevance for customers with African ancestry</li>
<li>Through our COVID-19 research study, we were able to <a href="https://blog.23andme.com/articles/impact-disparities-of-covid-19">identify racial and ethnic disparities in the impact of COVID-19</a></li>
<li>Joined <a href="https://www.surveymonkey.com/newsroom/tech-companies-join-push-for-diversity-inclusion/">SurveyMonkey’s new initiative</a> to audit and track the diversity, equity, and inclusion practices of our vendors and service providers</li>
<li>Implemented enhancements to our HR systems to better track more dimensions of diversity and reduce bias in the candidate application process</li>
</ul>
<h2>Engaging employees across the company</h2>
Since kicking off our concerted DEI efforts, 23andMe employees have truly come together to volunteer their time and energy to create a better workplace and improve our product and community efforts.
We now have 96 active employee resource group members devoted to DEI, 23andWe. And nearly 290 employees, roughly 51% of our workforce, have joined our company Slack channel #diversity, where we discuss and share interesting articles, videos, and resources.
We believe progress can only come if all employees are motivated and engaged to drive positive change.
<h2>Continuing down the DEI path</h2>
While we’ve just started on this journey, we are encouraged by the enthusiasm of our employees. Please stay tuned as we continue to share the latest updates and news of our commitment to improving diversity, equity, and inclusion across our company, product, and community.
*The 23andMe PGS test uses qualitative genotyping to detect select clinically relevant variants in the genomic DNA of adults from saliva to report and interpret 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. The Chronic Kidney Disease (APOL1-Related) genetic health risk report (i) is indicated for reporting the S342G and N388_Y389del variants in the APOL1 gene, which define the G1 and G2 haplotypes, respectively, and (ii) describes if a person has variants associated with an increased risk of developing chronic kidney disease. The variants included in this report are the most common and best studied in people of African descent.

23andMe’s Commitment to Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

The history you share with your family connects you to your past, but it can also ground you in the present, and help prepare you for tomorrow.
This is most clear with your <a href="https://www.23andme.com/dna-health-ancestry" target="_blank" rel="noopener">family health history</a>, considered a cornerstone for every medical record. Knowing about your parents’ or siblings&#8217; health adds another dimension to what you already know about yourself. This knowledge raises awareness of what to look out for. It gives you and your doctor another layer of information for helping to keep you well.
The problem is that many of us are entirely unaware of our family&#8217;s health history. Sometimes our knowledge doesn&#8217;t go beyond our parents. Yet knowing whether hypertension or diabetes or certain types of cancer run in your family could be vital for you. So how can you document and keep track of this information?
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-28546 size-large" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Family-Health-History-Tree--1024x506.jpg" alt="A view of the Family Health History Tree" width="1024" height="506" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Family-Health-History-Tree--1024x506.jpg 1024w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Family-Health-History-Tree--300x148.jpg 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Family-Health-History-Tree--768x380.jpg 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Family-Health-History-Tree--880x435.jpg 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Family-Health-History-Tree--1180x583.jpg 1180w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Family-Health-History-Tree-.jpg 1440w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />
<h6>Family Health History Tree</h6>
23andMe just launched a new tool for Health + Ancestry Service customers in the U.S. and Canada that could help, called the Family Health History Tree.
Much like any family tree, this one offers a visual representation of how you connect to different relatives. But this tree adds the ability to include important medical conditions, offering you a visual record of current and past health issues for you and your close relatives.
The 23andMe Family Health History Tree is meant to include information about close family members. You may consider including your parents, children, grandparents, siblings, half-siblings, aunts, and uncles. These are the relatives with whom you share the most DNA. Beyond sharing DNA, your close family members also often have other things in common that can influence your health. We might live in the same geographic area, eat the same cuisine, and have similar lifestyle choices, like whether we choose to smoke or drink alcohol. These environmental factors, together with genetics, all play a role in your health.
<h6>Knowledge is Power</h6>
That&#8217;s why knowing about health conditions that affected your relatives may help you understand more about your own health. The Family Health History Tree is more than just a record. It is a visual representation of these family connections. Adding in health conditions offers you a better way to track this information to help you and a healthcare professional manage your health.
So what kind of health information should you add to your Family Health History Tree?
We know that remembering the exact medical name of a condition can be difficult. That&#8217;s why we&#8217;ve added a function that will offer suggestions as you start typing a condition name. Adding condition names, dates, and age of diagnosis can be helpful, but we also know that remembering specific dates can also be difficult. That’s OK. Your best guess is fine.
<h6>Be Mindful</h6>
Your family health history is a powerful tool for managing your health, but it may include sensitive information about your living relatives. Before you enter sensitive information about living relatives, you should make sure you have their permission to do so. In addition, please respect a person&#8217;s wishes to maintain the privacy of their sensitive health information when discussing with others. 23andMe does not share individual customer data without their consent. And we never share this data with employers or insurers or third-party marketers.
You can learn more about 23andMe&#8217;s privacy protections <a href="https://www.23andme.com/privacy/">here</a>.
23andMe&#8217;s Family Health History Tree is a tool for you to help you manage your health.

23andMe’s New Family Health History Tree

Thomas Park Clement helped hundreds of Korean adoptees like him use DNA testing to connect for the first time with biological relatives. Strangely, up until a few years ago, he’d never thought about tracking down his birth parents.
<div id="attachment_28486" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-28486" class="wp-image-28486 size-medium" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Thomas-Passport-Photo-Square-300x300.jpg" alt="A passport photo of Thomas as a boy just before coming to the United States for his adoption," width="300" height="300" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Thomas-Passport-Photo-Square-300x300.jpg 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Thomas-Passport-Photo-Square-150x150.jpg 150w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Thomas-Passport-Photo-Square-271x271.jpg 271w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Thomas-Passport-Photo-Square-372x372.jpg 372w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Thomas-Passport-Photo-Square-574x574.jpg 574w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Thomas-Passport-Photo-Square.jpg 597w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />A passport photo of Thomas was taken before his adoption.</div>
“I don’t know why,” Thomas said in a <a href="https://celinalee.co/podcast/">podcast</a> last year.
He never had the urge, he said. Maybe he was too busy.
A prolific inventor, entrepreneur, and now philanthropist, Thomas was a long way from the biracial boy abandoned in Seoul, South Korea in the 1950s. He never forgot where he came from, but he also didn’t feel the need to go back and find his biological relatives.  
<h2>Sharing his Gifts</h2>
Thomas was born during the Korean War to a Korean mother and an American soldier. By the time he was four, his father had left. The last time he saw his mother, Thomas was on a corner near a crowded market in Seoul. She told him to walk down the street and not look back. He never did.
Thomas lived on the streets and then in a rough-and-tumble orphanage. After a few harrowing years, an American family adopted him and brought him to the United States.
It took some time for Thomas to shake the years of deprivation from his psyche. During his first birthday celebration in the U.S., he gathered all the gifts he received and put them in a corner where he guarded them. At the same time, the rest of the children played and enjoyed the party. It was only later that he realized he’d missed out.
“I decided I didn’t want to miss one more party so (in the future) I would share my ‘presents’ with everybody,” he said.
He never forgot the lesson, so he’s made a point of giving back.
<h2>Giving Back</h2>
Among his philanthropic gifts was a donation of $1 million to cover the costs for DNA testing for hundreds of <a href="https://blog.23andme.com/tag/korean-adoptees/">Korean adoptees</a>. Many have shared their stories with him: sons and daughters finding their <a href="http://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20160815000120">mothers</a> or fathers, <a href="https://blog.23andme.com/23andme-customer-stories/seoul-sisters-and-brothers/">brothers and sisters</a> finding each other, and even <a href="https://blog.23andme.com/23andme-customer-stories/23andme-reunites-identical-twins-separated-birth/">identical twins</a> finding one another.
“You have to remember these are people who up until then had never even met a biological relative,” Thomas said.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignright wp-image-28487 size-medium" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Thomas-Headshot-Square-300x300.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="300" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Thomas-Headshot-Square-300x300.jpg 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Thomas-Headshot-Square-150x150.jpg 150w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Thomas-Headshot-Square-271x271.jpg 271w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Thomas-Headshot-Square-372x372.jpg 372w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Thomas-Headshot-Square.jpg 408w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />And many had tried <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/28/world/asia/south-korea-adoptees-325kamra.html">without success</a> to find anything about their families. Some just wanted to connect with their Korean roots. International Adoptions in the United States didn’t begin in earnest until 1955 and the passage of the <a href="https://books.google.com/books?id=HDklDwAAQBAJ&amp;pg=PA7&amp;lpg=PA7&amp;dq=%22Relief+of+Certain+War+Orphans%22+korean+adoption&amp;source=bl&amp;ots=ocLy46VVbp&amp;sig=ACfU3U0eq2jwpXxoJ5Mq9Gicbzh7ZMhARA&amp;hl=en&amp;sa=X&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjQ99Ky163jAhUFOH0KHek0B5gQ6AEwCXoECAkQAQ#v=onepage&amp;q=%22Relief%20of%20Certain%20War%20Orphans%22%20korean%20adoption&amp;f=false">Bill for Relief of Certain War Orphans</a>. At first, the large-scale international adoptions were from Korea coming just after the Korean War. For at least <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/1536504211427866">40 years</a>, most international adoptions originated in Korea, with at least <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/1536504211427866">200,000</a> children adopted worldwide. That only lessened in the late 1980s after Korea began limiting the number of children who could be adopted out of the country.
<h2>Coming from Korea</h2>
Thomas was part of that initial wave of early adoptees from Korea. He understands why making those connections is so important for some adoptees. Some of it is simply wanting to connect with a biological relative. Still, it can also be about making cultural connections.
For whatever reason, he didn’t have the same tug to find his birth parents. He was happy with his adoptive family. His father once said to him that “you adopted us.” As Thomas remembers things, he had awful grades and was mostly non-verbal as a kid. He thought he was stupid. But he loved to invent and tinker.
<h2>Moving Forward and then Looking Back</h2>
After college at Purdue studying electrical engineering, Thomas worked first in communications equipment manufacturing and then moved into building medical devices. In the late 1980s, he founded his own company Mectra Labs. The company has built various laparoscopic surgical instruments used in cancer treatment as well as instruments for cardiovascular and brain surgeries. Thomas holds more than 40 patents.
He’s written two books about his life, The Unforgotten War from 1998, and his 2012 memoir <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Dust-Streets-Journey-Biracial-Orphan/dp/0966795210/ref=pd_lpo_14_t_0/136-9539512-9233228?_encoding=UTF8&amp;pd_rd_i=0966795210&amp;pd_rd_r=86f5bd8d-7180-405b-9bdb-0a0e06713f36&amp;pd_rd_w=JoTy8&amp;pd_rd_wg=tEgOk&amp;pf_rd_p=7b36d496-f366-4631-94d3-61b87b52511b&amp;pf_rd_r=DXK8S09DKH8MAAAD2A99&amp;psc=1&amp;refRID=DXK8S09DKH8MAAAD2A99">Dust of the Streets: The Journey of a Biracial Orphan of the Korean War.</a> As his career advanced, Thomas found time to give back to various causes and charities.
<h2>Mixed Roots</h2>
One of the many groups he helped was the <a href="https://mixedrootsfoundation.org/">Mixed Roots Foundation</a>, a non-profit to help adoptees with multicultural backgrounds and their families through all adoption stages. Clement served on the board of directors for the foundation and, at one point, was given a 23andMe kit from the founder and president of the group, Holly Choon Hyang Bachman.
He thought he might as well try it. He was curious about the health results and looking at his 23andMe ancestry reports, he discovered that half his ancestry was Ashkenazi Jewish. After opting-in to DNA Relatives, Thomas looked at his results and found that he had hundreds of matches with other 23andMe customers who also opted into the feature. One of them was Holly.
“I had long since accepted the fact that I would never know one blood relative,” Thomas said.
And then he had 1,000.
“I might not have tested if Holly hadn’t given me the kit, so that’s why I started the free kit program,” he said.
<h2>Learning about Himself</h2>
He not only gave kits to Korean adoptees, through a Facebook group called Korean American Adoptees but also former service members who served in Korea interested in finding children they may have fathered.
Holly was the first biological relative he ever knew. But there would be more.
With help from his friend Bella, who works with the non-profit <a href="https://www.325kamra.org/">325Kamra</a>, which uses DNA testing to reunite Korean adoptees with their biological relatives, Thomas was able to find his half-sister and two half-brothers on his father’s side. And he identified his birth father, but he wasn’t able to meet him before he died. Thomas said he didn’t want to disrupt their lives. When his half-sister told him that her mother would be devastated by learning that her husband had fathered another child, Thomas backed off. But not before learning a little bit about his birth father and seeing photos of him. They shared a lot of interests. Like Thomas, he’d been a bit of a renegade, a tinkerer, engineer, who loved cars and animals. The two had a similar body type, and although Thomas didn’t see it, his sister said Thomas looked a lot like his birth father.
“It was fascinating to hear about how he was as a person because when someone was describing him, I thought they were talking about me,” he said.
It’s been a gift to learn about his birth father in this way, and he feels fortunate that he’s helped others make similar connections.
“I mean, the stories just go on and on,” he said. “I didn’t realize the emotional aspect of this program … It’s a humbling experience.”

Helping Other Korean Adoptees Find Their Story

Data shows that people&#8217;s activity level is back to pre-pandemic levels
By: Teresa Filshtein Sonmez &amp; Stella Aslibekyan*
A few months into the COVID-19 pandemic, a consistent narrative has emerged: people were <img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignright wp-image-28313 size-medium" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/GettyImages-1143880641-300x193.jpg" alt="Steps" width="300" height="193" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/GettyImages-1143880641-300x193.jpg 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/GettyImages-1143880641.jpg 736w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />
However, the timeframe for most of these studies does not extend past June 2020. Did the decline in activity continue as the work from home trend gained strength and the schools remained closed? Or did people adapt to the new realities of post-COVID-19 life, finding some return to normal in physical exercise?
<h6>An Inflection Point</h6>
New data collected and analyzed by 23andMe appears to support the second scenario. Following the initial 22 percent drop in daily steps during the first month of the epidemic in the US, the average number of daily steps taken by our research participants went back up to the pre-shelter-in-place levels.
The inflection point occurred in mid-April, approximately one month after the first wave of shelter-in-place orders, and was followed by a gradual and consistent recovery throughout the summer months. Because summer is usually associated with increased physical activity, we compared 2020 data to the same period (February &#8211; September) in 2019 (Figure 1).

 <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-style-default"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="512" height="222" src="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Weekday-Daily-Totals.png" alt="" class="wp-image-28467" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Weekday-Daily-Totals.png 512w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Weekday-Daily-Totals-300x130.png 300w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px" /></figure>
 
<h6>Digging into the Data</h6>
Notably, prior to shelter in place orders, physical activity levels were similar between 2019 and 2020, followed by a dramatic divergence in mid-March. After mid-April of 2020, the increase in average daily step counts was steeper compared to the same period in 2019, suggesting that seasonal effects do not completely explain the observed trend. Finally, although 2020 average step counts recovered to pre-pandemic levels by the end of summer, they remained lower than 2019 step counts when seasonality was taken into account.
Because data from wearable devices (e.g. smartwatches) offer a <a href="https://www.wired.com/2015/03/fitness-tracking-test/">more accurate measurement</a> of physical activity than smartphone-derived step counts, we restricted all subsequent analyses to watch data only. We first stratified our data by sex to examine potential disparities. In our <a href="https://blog.23andme.com/23andme-research/activity-changes-during-covid/">initial analysis</a>, we observed that men and women experienced similar drops in physical activity, although women consistently attained ~1000 fewer daily steps than men. This difference, well-documented by <a href="https://journals.lww.com/acsm-msse/Fulltext/2010/10000/Pedometer_Measured_Physical_Activity_and_Health.4.aspx">previous studies</a>, persisted in the recovery data as well (Figure 2).

 <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-style-default"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="443" src="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Average-Weekday-totals-1024x443.png" alt="" class="wp-image-28468" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Average-Weekday-totals-1024x443.png 1024w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Average-Weekday-totals-300x130.png 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Average-Weekday-totals-768x333.png 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Average-Weekday-totals-880x381.png 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Average-Weekday-totals-1180x511.png 1180w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Average-Weekday-totals.png 1566w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>
 
<h6>Different Age Groups</h6>
Although the effect of COVID-19 in our data did not vary by sex, different age groups exhibited distinct trajectories in both drop and recovery. Initially, the sharpest drop in physical activity was observed among 20 to 30-year-olds, whose step counts pre-pandemic exceeded those of other age groups. By the end of August, however, this group showed an impressive albeit incomplete recovery (Figure 3).
The only group where step counts remained depressed comprised individuals over 70 years of age, highlighting their vulnerability not only to COVID-19 infection but also to the potential negative consequences of prolonged physical inactivity.

 <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-style-default"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="444" src="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/weekday-totals-1024x444.png" alt="" class="wp-image-28469" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/weekday-totals-1024x444.png 1024w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/weekday-totals-300x130.png 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/weekday-totals-768x333.png 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/weekday-totals-880x381.png 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/weekday-totals-1180x512.png 1180w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/weekday-totals.png 1564w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>
 
We observed that the difference in walking habits between participants from metropolitan vs. rural areas diminished as the pandemic unfolded (Figure 4a). Pre-shelter in place and consistently with <a href="https://jech.bmj.com/content/57/1/29">other reports</a>, urban residents walked on average 600 steps/day more than their rural counterparts. Since late March, however, the average difference between the two groups shrank to less than 100 steps/day.

 <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-style-default"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="512" height="223" src="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Weekday-Steps-Post-6-months.png" alt="" class="wp-image-28470" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Weekday-Steps-Post-6-months.png 512w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Weekday-Steps-Post-6-months-300x131.png 300w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px" /></figure>
 
Although rural step counts returned to their pre-COVID-19 levels, a full recovery has so far eluded the urban residents — likely reflecting the lasting changes to workplace and school commutes rather than leisure time physical activity. This hypothesis is supported by data collected on weekends (Figure 4b): unlike in weekday data, step counts recorded on Saturdays and Sundays were consistently higher in metropolitan areas.

 <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-style-default"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="446" src="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Weekend-Steps-6-Months-After-1024x446.png" alt="" class="wp-image-28466" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Weekend-Steps-6-Months-After-1024x446.png 1024w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Weekend-Steps-6-Months-After-300x131.png 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Weekend-Steps-6-Months-After-768x335.png 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Weekend-Steps-6-Months-After-880x384.png 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Weekend-Steps-6-Months-After-1180x514.png 1180w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Weekend-Steps-6-Months-After.png 1562w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>
 
<h6>The Power of 23andMe&#8217;s Research Model</h6>
Enabled by our powerful rapid data collection platform, our analyses tell a story of both resilience and vulnerability in real-time. The overall conclusion is hopeful: even amidst the pandemic-related disruptions, many people are finding ways to increase their daily movement. This finding is especially encouraging in light of the<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/27/well/move/coronavirus-exercise-stress-mental-health-depression-mood-resilience.html"> recent studies</a> showing that exercise may be a successful strategy to boost mental health in these challenging times.
Nevertheless, our data also draw attention to groups that are not experiencing these benefits to the same extent: older individuals, rural residents, and women. As we continue to adapt to life with COVID-19, any initiative to promote exercise should consider not only health behaviors but also issues of access and equity to maximize the positive health impact of physical activity.
*23andMe’s COVID-19 study is made possible through the participation of more than a million of our customers who consented to answer survey questions for this research. But this study also involves the hard work of a core team of our health researchers, program/product managers, data scientists, engineers and geneticists. Among them are: Michelle Agee, Amanda Altman, Stella Aslibekyan, Adam Auton, Jess Bielenberg, Adrian Chubb, Daniella Coker, Raffaello d’Amore, Scott Dvorak, Alison Fitch, Scott Hadly, Pooja Jain, Andy Kill, Trung Le, John Matthews, Jey McCreight, Taylor Morrow, Sungmin Park, Jeff Pollard, Anjali Shastri, Janie Shelton, Teresa Filshtein Sonmez, Jason Tan, Lindsey Tran, Cat Weldon, Chelsea Ye, Yiwen Zheng

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