Editor&#8217;s note:  It&#8217;s National Liver Awareness Month we&#8217;re reposting this post with Wayne Eskridge to raise awareness about nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. 
Wayne Eskridge says he’s “just a typical American guy,” but that doesn’t begin to describe him really.
It’s true that, like a lot of Americans, Wayne loves red meat and potatoes. And like a lot of people, as he aged, he put on a pound or two each year until he was overweight. And like a lot of Americans, not just men, Wayne was told over and over during doctors’ visits that he should exercise more and watch what he ate. Over the years, he did diet and lose weight. But he gained it back. In that way, he was just like a “typical American guy.”
But something changed for him a few years ago that sets Wayne apart. 
“We’ve all heard these things endlessly, ‘lose weight and exercise’, and yet we don’t change our ways,” he said. “But if you can capture a person’s attention and emotional commitment to an idea at the right time, and with the right message, you can precipitate lasting change.”
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<h6></h6>
<h6>An Unknown Risk</h6>
That’s what happened for Wayne, and he’s spent the last several years trying to help others to do the same.
He recently sat down with us at 23andMe to talk about his journey from an average American guy to a man who started a foundation to save others like him and help them on a path to better health.
The CEO and founder of the <a href="https://www.fattyliverfoundation.org/">Fatty Liver Foundation</a>, Wayne wants to raise awareness about a life-threatening condition that few people know anything about: nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. But he also wants to help people more broadly make health changes, and he’s willing to use his own story to help.
Tens of millions of people are walking around with fatty liver disease and don’t even know it. It’s one of the many potential consequences of being overweight. According to the <a href="https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/liver-disease/nafld-nash/definition-facts">NIH&#8217;s National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases</a>, it’s estimated that about 24 percent of American adults have the condition. Wayne was once like millions of others, walking around with a condition he didn’t know anything about. He wants to change that by raising awareness not only about fatty liver disease but also about the benefits of adopting healthy habits.
<h6>Healthy Changes</h6>
Lifestyle really is key. While genetics do play a role in the likelihood of developing fatty liver disease, lifestyle is very important. As part of our 23andMe+ membership, we have a report powered by our own research on nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. It looks at more than 1,400 genetic variants to estimate a person’s likelihood of developing the condition. But beyond genetics, lifestyle and diet play a big role in one’s likelihood in developing the disease. Wayne wants to raise awareness about all the factors that could lead to risks for the condition and push for more research.
Similar to other chronic conditions like type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and other various cardiovascular diseases, the number of people with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease has grown as the rates of obesity have risen. So many people are overweight that it’s been normalized, Wayne said.
“It’s as if it’s a non-event and there’s been this generational drift to accept less wellness,” he said.
In his own experience, he thinks back to long before his diagnosis, when his blood pressure was creeping up and his weight edged up, and he asked his doctor about it.
“And he said, ‘all my patients are dealing with this. It’s just how we are,’” Wayne recalls.
<h6>Taking Charge</h6>
For Wayne, it was a missed opportunity for the doctor to impress on him the importance of taking charge of his health.
“I may not have listened but he let that opportunity slide,” Wayne said.
Here are some sobering statistics. In the last two decades, the percentage of the American population who are obese went from about <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/adult.html">30 percent to more than 40 percent</a>, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Prevention. Even among children, there’s been an uptick in obesity. In 1980 only about five percent of kids were considered obese, but by 2018 <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/obesity-overweight.htm">more than 19 percent were</a>, according to the CDC. And there is a cascade of chronic health issues that stem directly from that increase in obesity. Wayne’s focus has been on one of those conditions. And he started the <a href="https://www.fattyliverfoundation.org/">Fatty Liver Foundation</a> to raise awareness about this condition that affects so many people but remains largely unknown.
“If you have two friends, one of you likely has fatty liver disease, and don’t even know it,” said Wayne. “It’s that bad, there’s this whole suite of metabolic diseases — heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure — that are all related to what’s happening in our society with the obesity epidemic.”
<h6>An Ah-Ha Moment</h6>
Wayne’s knowledge about fatty liver disease and other chronic metabolic conditions comes from the experience of years of trying to figure out what was going on with his own health. Ten years ago, Wayne didn’t know anything about fatty liver disease.
“I’d had my gallbladder removed and, after the procedure, the doctors showed me a photo of my liver,” he said.
The surgeon told him it appeared that he had stage four liver cirrhosis. If true that would be a bleak diagnosis with little that can be done. It turned out that Wayne didn’t have liver cirrhosis, but that encounter began a difficult five-year-long medical journey before being diagnosed with fatty liver disease, or more accurately cirrhotic nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) due to the build-up of fat in his liver, causing inflammation and liver damage.
That was Wayne’s ah-ha moment. That’s when he changed.
In going through all the challenges leading up to his diagnosis, Wayne and his wife had become much more aware of the true impact of diet and lifestyle on health. It’s as if it took that long, arduous journey for them to be receptive to the message he got when he was diagnosed. There really was no other way.
“I was determined to do everything I could to defeat the liver beast,” Wayne said. 
<h6>Helping Others</h6>
He and his wife went home and cleared out the pantry. They looked at the changes not as a diet but as a whole shift in how they lived, creating a healthy food strategy, passing on sugary desserts, processed foods, and juicy steaks. The shift paid off and he lost 45 pounds. He said the biggest accomplishment was going in for a liver biopsy and learning that his condition wasn’t progressing.
“My wife and I celebrated by eating a salad,” he said. 
Since then, Wayne has worked very hard to help others either dealing with a later-stage liver disease diagnosis, but also trying to prevent others from getting to a point of no return. The mission of the foundation is pretty stark. 
“We want to help you avoid this kind of death by helping you understand how you may be killing yourself slowly &#8212; and, what you can do about it. If you are already ill, we will do our best to help you with that process.”
According to the Fatty Liver Foundation:
<ul>
<li> 100 million Americans have a fatty liver, and the vast majority of them have no idea.</li>
<li> 20 million of them will develop nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.</li>
<li> 5 million will develop liver cirrhosis or NASH, which can end in liver failure. </li>
</ul>
<h6>Teachable Moments</h6>
In his work trying to make a dent in those stats, Wayne has used his own experience of seeing an image of his swollen liver. That’s what helped him internalize the message about how important his day-to-day lifestyle and diet had been to his health. The vision of his ailing liver was that of a “deadly beast” that was trying to kill him. Seeing it made him determined to do what he could to stop that from happening. 
He used that experience to inspire a recent study done by the foundation in Houston. There they did liver scans of patients, and showed them the condition of their own liver, and found that it did indeed register with patients who began making healthy changes to their diet.
That’s a message that goes beyond people at risk for fatty liver disease, and Wayne knows it. Fatty liver disease and being overweight can raise the risk of developing type 2 diabetes and heart disease. It can also progress to even more severe conditions. He wants to help people prevent that.
“It really comes down to how to motivate people to make a change,” Wayne said. “We’re looking for those teachable moments because we’ve all heard these messages endlessly about diet and exercise.”
<h6>Lasting Change</h6>
Food is about more than just nutrition and sustenance for so many of us. There are emotional and psychological components to what we eat and when we eat it. In a book about his own struggles to lose weight, the writer Tommy Tomlinson said that telling someone who is overweight to “eat less and exercise is like telling a boxer don’t get hit. You act as if there’s not an opponent.”
Food carries with it memories, for some, it becomes a reward or a reminder. Wayne knows that from personal experience. It’s why he and his wife had a tradition of celebrating big occasions with a chocolate volcano cake. They don’t do that anymore.
“It is so hard to change, but if you can capture a person’s attention and emotional commitment to an idea you can help them with lasting change,” he said.
For more information about the Fatty Liver Foundation visit their website <a href="https://www.fattyliverfoundation.org/">here</a>. You can find your 23andMe+ Nonalcoholic Liver Disease report (Powered by 23andMe Research) <a href="https://you.23andme.com/reports/prs.nafld/">here</a>.* Not yet at 23andMe+ member? Find out more <a href="https://www.23andme.com/membership">here</a>.

23andMe Blog

23andMe Blog Team

Raising Awareness About Fatty Liver Disease

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and we want to share stories from customers like Kristy who&#8217;ve taken action after learning she carried a variant in the BRCA1 gene associated with a higher likelihood of developing breast and ovarian cancer. 
Kristy never got to know her dad. He died when she was just two. Her mom, who was busy raising Kristy and her three brothers and three sisters, never shared a lot about him.
And then, in 2016, about 50 years after her father&#8217;s death, Kristy learned something surprising about her dad after using 23andMe.
&#8220;I found out I was half Jewish, specifically Ashkenazi Jewish,&#8221; she said. &#8220;It was fun to get my (23andMe) ancestry results and share them with my six siblings.&#8221;
<h6>Ashkenazi Ancestry</h6>
Raised in a busy midwest Catholic family, Kristy had no idea her dad was 100 percent Jewish. He had left the faith and became a Catholic when he married her mom. The news was interesting; it also reoriented some of what she knew about her family. But at the time, Kristy didn&#8217;t recognize the significance of that family history for her health, and the health of her brothers and sisters and their children.
&#8220;I knew that he was part Jewish, but nothing near 100 percent Jewish,&#8221; she said recently.
It wasn&#8217;t until two years later that she found out just how important knowing her ancestry was. Still, before explaining what happened, it helps to know a little about the uniqueness of Ashkenazi ancestry.
<h6>Ancestry and Health</h6>
The word &#8220;Ashkenazi&#8221; comes from Ashkenaz, a descendant of Noah in the Hebrew bible. People with Ashkenazi ancestry have roots in Jewish communities in Central and Eastern Europe, who had migrated there via Southern Europe. As with many groups, members married and raised families within their faith in these small, close-knit communities. Ashkenazi people were also were more isolated because of violent persecution directed against them from surrounding communities. Over centuries this isolation helped establish a distinct religious, linguistic, and <a href="https://www.hup.harvard.edu/catalog.php?isbn=9780674397316">cultural Jewish identity</a>.
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 <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-style-default"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="718" height="1024" src="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/kristy4-718x1024.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-29152" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/kristy4-718x1024.jpg 718w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/kristy4-210x300.jpg 210w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/kristy4-768x1095.jpg 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/kristy4-617x880.jpg 617w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/kristy4-827x1180.jpg 827w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/kristy4-scaled.jpg 1795w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 718px) 100vw, 718px" /></figure>
 
And similar to other culturally or geographically isolated populations, this isolation (and a resulting &#8220;founder bottleneck&#8221;) has created distinct genetic heritage over generations, which can also have implications for health.
So, for example, people with Ashkenazi ancestry are more likely to carry genetic variants that cause single-gene recessive inherited conditions. These include conditions such as <a href="https://www.23andme.com/topics/carrier/gaucher-disease-type-1">Gaucher disease</a>, <a href="https://www.23andme.com/topics/carrier/canavan-disease">Canavan disease</a>, and <a href="https://www.23andme.com/topics/carrier/tay-sachs-disease">Tay-Sachs disease</a>. People of Ashkenazi ancestry also have a higher prevalence of genetic variants in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes associated with increased risk for breast, ovarian, prostate, and certain other cancers.
Kristy knew none of this.
<h6>A New Genetic Health Risk Report</h6>
Then in 2018, 23andMe released its BRCA1/BRCA2 (Selected Variants) Genetic Health Risk* Report, the first direct to consumer genetic test for inherited cancer authorized by the FDA. The report looks at three of the BRCA variants most common in people of Ashkenazi ancestry. Women with one of these variants have a 45-85 percent risk of developing breast cancer by age 70, compared to about 13 percent in the general population. In addition, having one of these variants increases the risk for ovarian cancer. After opting to receive the information and going through a tutorial about the report, Kristy opened up her results.
She had one of the variants in the BRCA1 gene.
&#8220;And so began an almost two-year journey of discovering what this all meant,&#8221; she said.
<h6>Kristy&#8217;s Health Journey</h6>
For Kristy, it meant consulting five different doctors and talking to a genetic counselor to best understand her risk. Initially, her doctor did a confirmatory test. She did indeed carry the variant. Then, working with her doctors, they looked at her family medical history. An aunt had died of ovarian cancer, and a grandmother had survived ovarian cancer. They used all this information to give their best estimate for her risks.
&#8220;I think I had a 50 percent risk for ovarian cancer and up to an 80 percent risk for breast cancer,&#8221; Kristy said. 
Her aunt had died of ovarian cancer at 52, and Kristy, nearing that age herself, didn&#8217;t want to wait. She decided to have preventative surgeries, a double mastectomy, and an oophorectomy (removal of her ovaries). Later Kristy had reconstructive surgery. It was an emotional and at times frightening period. But what she hadn&#8217;t expected was how hard it was to talk to her family about it. 
Not only did the knowledge about her own risk also have implications for her sisters, but also her brothers. Like Kristy, they all could have inherited the same risk variant. And it wasn&#8217;t just about her siblings but their children as well.
&#8220;My family, in particular my sisters, were having a tough time understanding why I was going through this, and then why they may have to go through it too,&#8221; she said.
<h6>Talking to Family</h6>
At first, they thought she might be overreacting. So because of that response, Kristy went back to her genetic counselor to once again review all the findings. She wanted to make sure she understood the risk, and reconfirm her decision.
&#8220;I went through all the numbers and the family health history and everything to make sure I was doing the right thing,&#8221; she said.
It took a while for them to grasp the importance of it all. But eventually, all of her sisters and two of her three brothers tested. All three of her sisters had the variant, as well as one of her brothers. Eventually, they were able to share information to help each other work through what to expect. For her siblings with children, it&#8217;s information they could share with them as well.
<h6>A Gift</h6>
But if it weren’t for Kristy&#8217;s 23andMe reports, they may have never known.
Indeed, many people who carry a BRCA genetic variant associated with an increased risk for breast, ovarian, prostate, and certain other cancers only find out that they have one of those variants after they&#8217;ve been diagnosed with cancer. They often don&#8217;t have a family history of cancer or don&#8217;t know their family medical history or ancestry. These are all used to evaluate whether a patient should get BRCA testing. A study by 23andMe researchers published last year in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-020-63466-x">Scientific Reports</a> found that many of those individuals who carry one of the BRCA risk variants that 23andMe tests for are likely to be missed under current clinical testing criteria. 
For Kristy, the knowledge gave her and her family potentially lifesaving information.
&#8220;I was given the gift of knowing,&#8221; she said. &#8220;Some people never get that chance.&#8221;
Learn more about the BRCA gene and its role in some cancers <a href="https://www.23andme.com/brca/">here</a>.
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*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 and reporting carrier status. 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. Our carrier status reports can be used to determine carrier status, but cannot determine if you have two copies of any genetic variant. These carrier reports are not intended to tell you anything about your risk for developing a disease in the future, the health of your fetus, or your newborn child’s risk of developing a particular disease later in life. For certain conditions, we provide a single report that includes information on both carrier status and genetic health risk. Warnings &amp; Limitations: The 23andMe PGS Genetic Health Risk Report for BRCA1/BRCA2 (Selected Variants) is indicated for reporting of the 185delAG and 5382insC variants in the BRCA1 gene and the 6174delT variant in the BRCA2 gene. The report describes if a woman is at increased risk of developing breast and ovarian cancer, and if a man is at increased risk of developing breast cancer or may be at increased risk of developing prostate cancer. The three variants included in this report are most common in people of Ashkenazi Jewish descent and do not represent the majority of BRCA1/BRCA2 variants in the general population. This report does not include variants in other genes linked to hereditary cancers and the absence of variants included in this report does not rule out the presence of other genetic variants that may impact cancer risk. The PGS test is not a substitute for visits to a healthcare professional for recommended screenings or appropriate follow-up. Results should be confirmed in a clinical setting before taking any medical action. For important information and limitations regarding other genetic health risk reports and carrier status reports, [visit<a href="https://www.23andme.com/test-info/"> https://www.23andme.com/test-info/</a>].

The Gift of Knowing

A welcomed pregnancy comes with all sorts of emotions—most often joy, excitement, and maybe a little anxiety.
You can take steps before getting pregnant that can go a long way toward tamping down some of that worry and supporting your and your baby&#8217;s health through your pregnancy and beyond. Of course, learning more about your health is a great start. It&#8217;s also important to know that simple day-to-day actions like exercising and watching your diet can help set you on the right path.
<h6><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-29130 size-large" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/PRS-Gestational-Diabetes-Blog-1200x628-1-1-1024x536.png" alt="" width="1024" height="536" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/PRS-Gestational-Diabetes-Blog-1200x628-1-1-1024x536.png 1024w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/PRS-Gestational-Diabetes-Blog-1200x628-1-1-300x157.png 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/PRS-Gestational-Diabetes-Blog-1200x628-1-1-768x402.png 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/PRS-Gestational-Diabetes-Blog-1200x628-1-1-880x461.png 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/PRS-Gestational-Diabetes-Blog-1200x628-1-1-1180x618.png 1180w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/PRS-Gestational-Diabetes-Blog-1200x628-1-1.png 1200w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />Gestational Diabetes</h6>
23andMe recently released a new 23andMe+ Premium report on gestational diabetes report. Powered by 23andMe research, this new report uses machine learning techniques to estimate a person&#8217;s likelihood of developing gestational diabetes. To make that estimate, we use a statistical model that looks at a person&#8217;s ethnicity and more than 6,000 genetic variants associated with developing gestational diabetes mellitus, commonly known as gestational diabetes.
Fortunately, it&#8217;s a condition that is largely preventable. While genetics plays a role, healthy lifestyle habits before pregnancy, like maintaining a healthy weight, eating a balanced diet, exercising, and not smoking, can lower your risk.
So, what is gestational diabetes?
During pregnancy, <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/basics/gestational.html">your body changes</a>. It adapts to make more hormones, and you put on weight. In turn, your body’s cells aren’t able to use insulin, a hormone that’s instrumental in regulating your blood sugar levels, as effectively. This is known as “insulin resistance,” which is common during pregnancy. Typically, the body responds by producing more insulin. However, gestational diabetes occurs when your body can&#8217;t produce enough insulin to meet the increased need, resulting in blood sugar levels that are too high. <img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="wp-image-29128 size-medium alignright" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/gd-story-1.c7f99f33b94c.svg" alt="" width="300" height="300" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads//2021/09/gd-story-1.c7f99f33b94c.svg 150w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads//2021/09/gd-story-1.c7f99f33b94c.svg 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads//2021/09/gd-story-1.c7f99f33b94c.svg 1024w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />
<h6>The Numbers</h6>
Unfortunately, gestational diabetes has become much more common as the rates of obesity have risen. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that between <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/reproductivehealth/maternalinfanthealth/diabetes-during-pregnancy.htm">6 percent and 9 percent</a> of those expecting will develop the condition, which is often preventable. The risk for gestational diabetes is particularly high among African Americans, Asian Americans, and people of Hispanic/Latino, Indigenous American, and Pacific Islander descent.
Gestational diabetes typically occurs without any symptoms but can have longer-term impacts on your and your baby&#8217;s health. For example, those with gestational diabetes are more likely to develop high blood pressure during pregnancy or have a larger baby that requires a cesarean section for delivery. Gestational diabetes also increases the parent and child’s chances of developing type 2 diabetes later in life.
All this adds to the importance of knowing your potential of developing gestational diabetes. Beyond genetics, there are other factors that can increase your chances. For example, having had gestational diabetes in a previous pregnancy increases the likelihood of developing it again in a subsequent pregnancy. So too does having prediabetes, polycystic ovary syndrome, or a family history of diabetes, increase one’s chances. Being overweight also adds to the likelihood. And as people get older, this condition tends to be more common. If you may become pregnant, sharing whether you have any of these factors with your health care provider is important. They may suggest testing earlier during pregnancy to know for sure if you have gestational diabetes.
<h6>Taking Action</h6>
Understanding more about your genetic and non-genetic factors that may influence your likelihood of developing gestational diabetes might be the knowledge you need to spur action. Then, you can lower your risk.
Remember to talk with your healthcare provider before making any significant lifestyle changes. That said, before pregnancy, maintaining a healthy weight, eating right, and getting plenty of exercise can go a long way toward better health in the long run.
23andMe&#8217;s new Gestational Diabetes report (Powered by 23andMe Research) is available to all 23andMe+ Premium members who report their birth sex as female. To learn more about your report, go <a href="https://you.23andme.com/reports/prs.gestational_diabetes/">here</a>.
Not yet a customer? Find out more about 23andMe+ Premium <a href="https://www.23andme.com/membership">here</a>.
<hr />
*Note: The 23andMe Gestational Diabetes report is based on 23andMe research and incorporates more than 6,000 genetic variants to provide information on the likelihood of developing gestational diabetes mellitus. The report does not account for lifestyle or family history and has not been reviewed by the US Food and Drug Administration. Visit www.23andme.com/topics/health-predispositions/ for additional important information on 23andMe&#8217;s Health Predisposition reports.

Taking Control for a Healthier Pregnancy 

If you asked the average person to point to their gallbladder, the odds are pretty high they might make a vague indication toward somewhere south of their neck but miss the mark, that is unless they’ve had painful gallstones in the past.
Gallstones are actually quite common, affecting an estimated 25 million people in the US alone, according to the<a href="https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/digestive-diseases/gallstones/definition-facts"> National Institutes of Health.</a>
But most often people have no symptoms. Although most people have no symptoms, some are not so lucky and feel a mix of symptoms including pain in the upper abdomen and back, and nausea. Often, the only long-term way to remedy the problem is with surgical removal of the gallbladder. Women and people over the age of 40 are more likely to develop gallstones as are people with Indigenous American or Mexican ancestry. (See sidebar for more information about gallstones among people with Indigenous American ancestry.)
<h6>Higher and to the Right</h6>
<div style="float: right; text-align: justified; width: 300px; background-color: #eee; padding: 15px; margin-left: 10px;">
Gallstones and Indigenous Americans
A few studies have shown that the incidences of gallstones are much higher among those with Indigenous American ancestry — this includes people with Latino ancestry who typically have a mix of European, African, and Indigenous American ancestry.
But why would people with Indigenous American ancestry have a higher likelihood of developing gallstones?
While dietary factors play a role, so too does genetics. This may in part be due to variants in two genes — ABCG8 and TRAF3. A variant in ABCG8 is known to cause a release of excess cholesterol into bile, and a variant in TRAF3 is thought to contribute to increased inflammation in the gallbladder. Both variants were found to be more common among certain populations with Indigenous American ancestry and increase the likelihood of developing stones. It’s possible that the variants conferred an evolutionary advantage for Indigenous people living in the Americas, but modern diets that include more red meat, saturated fats, and sugars undercut that advantage.
Looking at our own data from customers who consented to participate in research, Samantha Ancona Esselmann, Ph.D., a 23andMe Product Scientist, found that Latino participants report higher incidence of gallstones at every age bracket. And again, Latinos typically have some Indigenous American ancestry.
As a side note, Samantha noticed something in the data related to statistics called the “Simpson’s Paradox.” Because 23andMe’s Latino research participants tend to be much younger than our participants with primarily European ancestry, and because gallstones tend to be heavily age-dependent, the first pass at the data seems to show a higher percentage of European participants reporting gallstones. But by controlling for age, Samantha confirmed a much higher incidence of gallstones among Latino 23andMe participants.
Beyond the implications this has for people with Indigenous American ancestry, it’s another important example of how understanding your genetic ancestry can help you better understand your health.
</div>
Before diving a little deeper it’s worth understanding a bit about this tiny organ that’s nestled up against your liver. (For those navigating their own body map, this is in the upper right portion of your abdomen.)
The gallbladder helps store bile, produced in the liver, that in turn assists the body in breaking down and digesting fat. In other words, it’s important for digestion. Things can get mucked up in the gallbladder when stones are formed. The formation of stones in and of itself may not result in symptoms but in some cases, these little masses that form, which can be as small as a grain of sand or as large as a golf ball, can block the outlet of the gallbladder causing severe pain. This often happens after a particularly fatty or large meal. In some cases, this sort of gallbladder attack lasts longer than a few hours and is accompanied by a fever and chills. This is often an indication of something more serious and may require surgery to remove the gallbladder.
<h6>Going Deeper</h6>
So, why do some people develop gallstones, and how do you prevent them? Well like a lot of conditions, your chances of developing gallstones is influenced by both genetic and non-genetic factors.
The good news is that simply maintaining a healthy lifestyle including keeping a healthy weight, exercising regularly, and eating a diet high in fiber, low in unhealthy fats, refined carbs, and sugars can go a long way toward lowering your risk. Your genetics also plays a role.
As part of<a href="https://blog.23andme.com/news/inside-23andme/23andmeplus/"> 23andMe+ Premium,</a> an annual membership with 10+ exclusive reports and features delivered to you throughout the calendar year, we now offer a report that estimates the likelihood of developing gallstones. This report is based on a statistical model that considers 6,950 genetic markers. The model also includes ethnicity and sex to calculate an estimate. The data used in the model comes from 23andMe customers who consented to participate in research.
<h6>Taking Action</h6>
Understanding more about your genetics can be a good next step in learning about your chances of developing gallstones. Remember to talk with your healthcare provider before making any major lifestyle changes. That said, maintaining a healthy weight, eating a diet that is low in saturated fat, refined carbs, sugars, and getting plenty of exercise can go a long way toward reducing your likelihood of developing gallstones.
To learn more about 23andMe+ Premium membership, go<a href="https://www.23andme.com/membership?fdpt=true"> here</a>.
***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/.

New 23andMe+ Premium Report on Gallstones

Not all cholesterol is created equal. Understanding the difference between “good” and “bad” cholesterol, as well as your cholesterol levels, can help in your quest for a healthy heart.
<h6>The Good, the Bad, and the Gunky</h6>
Heart disease is a <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/heartdisease/facts.htm">leading cause of death</a> in the United States. Coronary artery disease is the most common type of heart disease in the United States. It&#8217;s characterized by a build-up of a waxy, cholesterol-containing plaque that narrows the arteries and reduces blood flow, impacting the heart&#8217;s rhythm, the heart muscles, and the other blood vessels connected to it.
The gunky build-up of plaque is where so-called &#8220;good&#8221; and &#8220;bad&#8221; cholesterol come into play. High levels of low-density lipoprotein, or LDL, the so-called &#8220;bad cholesterol,&#8221; are associated with a higher risk for heart disease. Higher levels of high-density lipoprotein, or HDL, the so-called &#8220;good cholesterol,&#8221; are associated with a lower risk for heart disease. That&#8217;s because HDL acts like an arterial cleanser, removing cholesterol from blood vessels and taking it back to the liver for its removal from the body. This helps prevent LDL cholesterol from building up on the walls of blood vessels and restricting blood flow.
Typically, you can learn about your cholesterol levels through a fasting blood test that includes a lipid profile. This often includes measurements of total cholesterol, triglyceride levels, as well as LDL and HDL levels. Many tests also look at the total cholesterol to HDL ratio. Doctors often use this ratio of total cholesterol to HDL as a way to gauge risk for heart disease. A higher ratio increases the risk. Many factors contribute to the build-up of bad cholesterol and plaque in the body that can lead to an increased risk for heart disease. Smoking, eating unhealthy fatty and fried foods, a person’s weight, and not getting enough exercise can all contribute to your risk.
But other factors, including your family history, certain health conditions, and your sex also play a role. In addition, your genetics can influence your likelihood of developing higher LDL cholesterol or lower HDL, both of which can increase one’s risk for heart disease. About 30 percent of males and 10 percent of females in the United States have low HDL cholesterol, according to <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/databriefs/db290.htm#Key_findings">a report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.</a>
<h6>Going Deeper on HDL</h6>
23andMe offers several reports that give customers insights into different heart-related conditions. For instance, there are reports on type 2 diabetes, familial hypercholesterolemia (an inherited form of high LDL cholesterol), and TTR-related hereditary amyloidosis, a genetic condition associated with cardiac and neurological problems.**
For those who want to go a little deeper, we offer <a href="https://blog.23andme.com/articles/23andmeplus/">23andMe+</a>,* an annual membership with 10+ exclusive reports and features delivered to you throughout the year. Among those reports are several heart-related conditions to explore. Along with reports on coronary artery disease, high blood pressure, atrial fibrillation, triglycerides, and LDL cholesterol, we recently added a new report on HDL cholesterol to 23andMe+. All are powered by 23andMe research.
This new report does not diagnose low HDL cholesterol. Instead, it estimates the likelihood of developing low HDL based on a statistical model. The model uses more than 15,000 genetic markers associated with developing low HDL. The model also includes ethnicity and sex to calculate an estimate. The data used in the model comes from 23andMe customers who consented to participate in research.
<h6>Taking Action</h6>
Understanding more about your genetics can be a good first step in learning about your chances for heart disease. Remember to talk with your healthcare provider before making any major lifestyle changes. That said, maintaining a healthy weight, a diet low in saturated fat, and getting plenty of exercise is good for heart health.
To learn more about 23andMe+ membership, go<a href="https://www.23andme.com/membership?fdpt=true"> here</a>.
<hr />
*10+ reports and features will be added annually from January to December.
***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. This detects 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. It may also affect 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. However it 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/.

A New 23andMe+ Report on HDL Cholesterol

We don’t need an excuse to scoop up ice cream, but if you’re looking for one July 18th is <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Ice_Cream_Month">National Ice Cream Day</a>.
For those who can’t indulge on that day, it’s OK because the whole month of July is designated as National ice Cream Month. With those extra days and 23andMe’s Ice Cream Flavor Preference trait report, you do a little experiment of your own into you’re more likely to ask for vanilla or chocolate on top of your ice cream cone.
Several studies have shown that our<a href="https://www.annualreviews.org/doi/abs/10.1146/annurev.nutr.17.1.237?rfr_dat=cr_pub%3Dpubmed&#038;url_ver=Z39.88-2003&#038;rfr_id=ori%3Arid%3Acrossref.org&#038;journalCode=nutr"> taste preferences are in part explained by genetics.</a> We wanted to know if we could find a genetic signal associated with ice cream flavor preference. It turns out we can.

 <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-style-default"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="683" src="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/ice-cream-image-1024x683.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-26782" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/ice-cream-image-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/ice-cream-image-300x200.jpg 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/ice-cream-image-768x512.jpg 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/ice-cream-image-880x587.jpg 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/ice-cream-image-1180x787.jpg 1180w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>
 
<h6>You Scream, I Scream, We all Scream for Ice Cream</h6>
By using a statistical model and data from more than 980,000 23andMe research participants, our scientists were able to identify 739 genetic markers associated with preferring vanilla ice cream to chocolate. Pulling those genetic markers together with non-genetic factors — such as age and sex — we developed a model to estimate the likelihood of preferring vanilla ice cream to chocolate.
Obviously your ice cream flavor preference is influenced by far more than genetics — culture and environment for instance — but as with other types of food preferences, your genetics is the cherry on top. A person’s preference may be related to their sense of smell. Indeed many of the genetic variants we found associated with ice cream preference are in or near olfactory receptor genes, like OR10A6 and OR5M8. Those genes contain instructions for proteins that help detect odors. While you’re eating, your brain combines information from odors and your taste buds to perceive flavor.
<h6>23andMe Trait Reports</h6>
Our Ice Cream Flavor Preference trait report is among more than 30 fun and interesting (and not so vanilla!) trait reports available to<a href="https://www.23andme.com/dna-health-ancestry/"> 23andMe Health + Ancestry Service</a> customers. Among those reports are three others that specifically look at food traits, like a person’s preference for <a href="https://blog.23andme.com/health-traits/traits-never-looked-better/">Salty v. Sweet</a> snacks, or their aversion to<a href="https://blog.23andme.com/health-traits/traits-never-looked-better/"> Bitter Taste</a>, or<a href="https://blog.23andme.com/health-traits/23andme-adds-four-new-trait-reports/"> Cilantro</a>. Your traits are determined by a complex interaction between your DNA, your environment, and your lifestyle. Sometimes just a handful of genetic variants play a role, but more often hundreds or thousands of variants influence a trait.
Check out your Ice Cream Flavor Preference trait report<a href="https://you.23andme.com/reports/trait.ice_cream/"> here</a>.
Not yet a customer? Find out all that 23andMe has to offer<a href="https://www.23andme.com/dna-reports-list/"> here</a>.

23andMe’s New Trait Report Puts a Cherry on Top of Your Ice Cream Preference

It’s summertime, you’ve got the beach chair, a trashy novel, and sunscreen, but do you have your 23andMe results? 
 
As we enter into the height of summer, we thought it might be worth revisiting a few of 23andMe’s trait reports that seem particularly relevant to the season.
 
So if you’re warding off mosquitoes at your next BBQ or catching a few rays at the beach, you might be curious what role your genetics might play in those moments. Here are a few insights you can glean from 23andMe’s trait reports.

 <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-style-default"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="600" height="600" src="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/sun.png" alt="" class="wp-image-25177" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/sun.png 600w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/sun-150x150.png 150w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/sun-300x300.png 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/sun-271x271.png 271w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/sun-372x372.png 372w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/sun-574x574.png 574w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px" /></figure>
 
<h6>Mosquito Bite Frequency</h6>
You’re not the only one getting out more during the summer, so are those pesky mosquitoes. And it turns out that, at least to mosquitos, we’re not equally enticing, and genetics may play a role. Mosquitoes are attracted to specific molecules in body odor and breath, and depending on the proportions of these molecules. Some of us are just <a href="https://blog.23andme.com/articles/are-you-a-mosquito-magnetauto-draft">more tasty to mosquitos than others</a>.
 
<a href="https://www.23andme.com/topics/traits/mosquito-bite-frequency/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> 23andMe’s Mosquito Bite Frequency report</a> can tell whether you’re more or less likely to get bitten by mosquitoes. We do this by creating a statistical model that includes 285 genetic variants we’ve identified that are associated with mosquito bite frequency and sensitivity. These associations were identified using data from more than 380,000 23andMe research participants. Then, using those genetic associations and other non-genetic factors, we estimate the likelihood of whether you get bitten by mosquitoes more or less often than others. 

 <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-style-default"><img decoding="async" src="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/story_mosquito.svg" alt="" class="wp-image-29033"/></figure>
 
<h6>Hair Photobleaching</h6>
Summertime often means a lot more time outdoors in the sun. For some, that added exposure tends to lighten their hair without going to their favorite hairstylist. 
 
<a href="https://www.23andme.com/topics/traits/hair-photobleaching/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">23andMe Hair Photobleaching</a> report looks at dozens of genetic variants that influence whether the sun will lighten your hair. About 86 percent of people of European ancestry reported that their hair lightens when exposed to the sun. The bleaching effect happens when high-energy ultraviolet rays from the sun break down the hair’s pigment molecules, altering its color. 
 
23andMe’s Hair Photobleaching report can tell you whether your hair is more or less likely to lighten due to sun exposure due to your genetics. Again, we can create a statistical model that includes 48 genetic variants associated with hair photobleaching. These associations were found by looking at data from more than 340,000 23andMe research participants of European descent. Using these associations and non-genetic factors, we estimate the likelihood of your hair lightening when exposed to the sun.

 <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-style-default"><img decoding="async" src="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/story_sunbleaching.svg" alt="" class="wp-image-29034"/></figure>
 
<h6>Freckling</h6>
It is an oddity of nature that the sun lightens your hair but darkens some people’s skin. 
 
We’re not just talking about tanning. Sun exposure results in freckling in some people. This happens when the pigmentation in skin cells is produced unevenly across a person’s skin. If more pigmentation is produced in some areas than in others, you get freckles. Your genetics plays a role in your likelihood of getting freckles from sun exposure.
 
<a href="https://www.23andme.com/topics/traits/freckles/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">23andMe’s Freckles report</a> looks at 34 genetic variants and other factors to tell you if you are more or less likely to get freckles. Those genetic associations were identified by looking at data from more than 150,000 23andMe research participants of European descent. We then created a statistical model that considered both genetic and non-genetic factors to estimate the likelihood of developing freckles.

 <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-style-default"><img decoding="async" src="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/freckles.a5b205b6fc8a.svg" alt="" class="wp-image-29032"/></figure>
 
Curious about your summer traits, check them out <a href="https://you.23andme.com/health/trait/">here</a>.
Not yet a customer? Find out more about you can learn about yourself <a href="https://www.23andme.com/dna-health-ancestry/">here</a>.

23andMe’s Traits of Summer

My Risk of Developing the “Disease of Kings.”

Eczema is a chronic skin condition with itchy, dry, and/or discolored skin. Many people have it. Atopic dermatitis is the most common type of eczema; the two terms are sometimes used interchangeably.



Typically, it begins during infancy or childhood, but a person can develop it at any time. For some people, symptoms resolve before adulthood. For others, symptoms continue to come and go. When they occur, the symptoms are called “flares.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-large-numbers">Large Numbers</h2>



An eczema flare can be uncomfortable. People with eczema are more likely to get skin infections and have trouble sleeping. In addition, depression and anxiety are more common in people with this condition, especially those with more severe forms of this common skin disorder.



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="858" height="288" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Eczema.jpg" alt="An illustration of symptoms of eczema on a person's hands" class="wp-image-28936" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Eczema.jpg 858w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Eczema-300x101.jpg 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Eczema-768x258.jpg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 858px) 100vw, 858px" /></figure>



It’s estimated that about 10 percent of the adult population in the United States has eczema.<a id="f1" href="#a1">[1]</a> Unfortunately, eczema is another example of disparities in healthcare. African American and Asian American children are more likely to develop more severe forms of eczema. Unfortunately, this may be due to delayed diagnosis because eczema can sometimes be missed in people with darker skin.



Although there is no cure for eczema, there are recommendations for reducing the frequency and severity of symptoms. The National Institutes of Health in the United States is also <a href="https://www.niaid.nih.gov/diseases-conditions/eczema-atopic-dermatitis?researchers=true">funding basic research</a> into the condition.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-shared-genetics">Shared Genetics</h2>



Over the last decade, researchers—including scientists at 23andMe—have discovered some of the underlying genetics of the condition. Many people with eczema also have food allergies, asthma, or hay fever, for example. These are all allergic conditions, and they also <a href="https://blog.23andme.com/23andme-research/researchers-identify-new-genetic-associations-for-allergies-asthma-and-eczema/">share genetic associations</a>. But they each impact different parts of the body. By learning more about the shared genetics of these conditions, scientists are learning more about potential ways to treat them.



Beyond reading about 23andMe’s research on eczema (here are <a href="https://blog.23andme.com/tag/eczema/">some other posts</a> about the research), we also offer customers an opportunity to go deeper and learn about their chances of developing eczema.



This week, 23andMe released a new Eczema (Atopic Dermatitis) report powered by 23andMe research as part of our <a href="https://www.23andme.com/membership?ada=on">23andMe+</a> Membership. This is one of more than 10 reports and features added annually and available to our 23andMe+ members.‡



The eczema report is powered by a polygenic score. The score is calculated using more than 2,100 genetic variants and a customer’s ethnicity and sex to estimate the likelihood of having eczema. We use aggregated data from consented 23andMe research participants to calculate this estimate. The report does not diagnose eczema. If you are concerned about your likelihood of developing eczema, consult with a healthcare professional.



To learn more about 23andMe+ membership, go <a href="https://www.23andme.com/membership?fdpt=true">here</a>. Also, you can read about the most recent 23andMe eczema research collaboration <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosgenetics/article?id=10.1371/journal.pgen.1008725">here</a>.



<code> 
</code><a id="f1" href="#a1">[1]</a> Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, ISSN: 0091-6749, Vol: 132, Issue: 5, Page: 1132-1138: 2013<a href=" https://www.jacionline.org/article/S0091-6749(13)01366-3/fulltext"> https://www.jacionline.org/article/S0091-6749(13)01366-3/fulltext</a>



‡10+ reports and features will be added annually from January to December.

Health + Traits — Page 14