Every year on the third Saturday in October, the world celebrates International Archaeology Day, recognizing the important contributions archaeological research makes to society. This year, to celebrate, we&#8217;re spotlighting one of our favorite archaeological mysteries in the <a href="https://blog.23andme.com/articles/23andmes-historic-matches" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Historical Matches</a>SM feature—the skeletons of Roopkund Lake.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-about-roopkund-lake">About Roopkund Lake</h2>



Roopkund Lake is a small glacial lake located over 5,000 meters (over 16,000 ft) above sea level in the Nanda Devi National Park, in the Indian Himalayas. In 1942, a forest ranger patrolling the park stumbled upon a chilling scene: hundreds of skeletal remains strewn around the lake. The site has captivated researchers and locals alike ever since.



The mystery of who these individuals were, how they died, and why they were in such a remote and inhospitable location has sparked decades of speculation. Some early researchers proposed that the remains belonged to an army that had lost its way in the mountains, while others suggested they might have been traders following a trans-Himalayan route that had since vanished. A few archaeologists posited that they were pilgrims traveling to nearby shrines, possibly part of the ancient Nanda Devi Raj Jat, a religious procession spanning ~290 kilometers (~180 miles) that is still undertaken in the region every 12 years.



The identification of women and children among the dead, however, made some of the proposed explanations less plausible–especially the claim that they may have been members of an army. Without weapons, trade goods, or written records, no single theory could fully account for the diversity and composition of the group. Local folklore offered its own interpretation: a king, his family, and attendants on a pilgrimage to honor the mountain goddess Nanda Devi had violated sacred protocol and were struck down by a deadly hailstorm in divine retribution.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-an-exciting-23andme-connection">An exciting 23andMe connection</h2>



<a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31431628/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">In 2019</a>, scientists sequenced the genomes of 38 individuals from Roopkund Lake in an effort to better understand the origins of the mysterious remains. But instead of resolving this longstanding mystery, their findings uncovered an even more complex puzzle. 



So what makes this story one of 23andMe’s favorite archaeological mysteries? That 2019 research study was actually led by our very own Dr. Éadaoin Harney—a Scientist on the Population Genetics R&amp;D Team and 23andMe’s “resident ancient DNA expert.” She worked on this study during her PhD at Harvard University where she was a member of Prof. David Reich’s ancient DNA laboratories–one of the largest ancient DNA research laboratories in the world.



“When I first started working with the Roopkund ancient DNA data, I thought that genetics would be a simple and straightforward way to finally help solve the mystery of who they were,” said Dr. Harney. But she was in for a big surprise! “The first hint that this wasn’t going to be as simple as I initially thought was when we discovered how ancestrally diverse the Roopkund individuals were. Then we learned that they didn’t all die at the same time, as had previously been believed. Instead radiocarbon dates generated from the bones spanned over 1,000 years.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-dna-adds-to-the-mystery">How DNA adds to the mystery</h2>



The 2019 genetic analysis showed that the individuals fell into three distinct genetic groups, with ancestries from across the globe.



The largest group (which we’ll refer to as Roopkund A) consisted of 23 individuals who died between the 7th and 10th centuries CE, likely during multiple distinct events. Genetically, all appeared South Asian, but with remarkably diverse ancestries–each individual appeared most closely related to different present-day South Asian populations. This finding suggests that they may have traveled to the lake from multiple locations across the subcontinent. Although the exact purpose of their journey to Roopkund Lake remains uncertain, some researchers speculate that they may have been early participants in the Nanda Devi Raj Jat, a traditional pilgrimage that still passes by the lake every 12 years.



The other two groups were even more surprising. One group (Roopkund B) consisted of 14 individuals whose DNA connected them to present-day populations from the eastern Mediterranean—particularly populations in Greece and neighboring regions. The third group (Roopkund C) was represented by a single individual with genetic ancestry most similar to Southeast Asian populations. Radiocarbon dating revealed that these individuals likely died in a single event some time between the 17th and 20th centuries. Why people with ancestry from such distant regions were traveling together in one of the most remote parts of the Himalayas remains a mystery to this day.



Dr. Harney joined 23andMe in 2020 with the goal of creating an approach to identify direct genetic connections between historical and living people. She and her colleagues on the Population Genetics R&amp;D Team succeeded! This technology was first described in their <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10958645/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">2023 study of African Americans from Catoctin Furnace</a>, which was published in (and featured on the cover of) Science. She then helped spearhead the creation of the 23andMe Historical Matches feature, enabling customers to learn how they connect to different historical and ancient individuals.



Over the last five years, one of her secret ambitions was to use this technology to try and finally solve the mystery of the Roopkund individuals&#8217; identities. Could identifying any close genetic relatives of the Roopkund individuals in the 23andMe genetic database help us learn about their identities and answer what brought them to Roopkund?



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-did-we-solve-the-mystery">Did we solve the mystery?</h2>



We compared the Roopkund individuals to over 11 million research consenting participants in the 23andMe genetic database. While we were hoping this analysis would reveal a number of close genetic relatives, unfortunately, the mystery of Roopkund Lake lives on.



We found that only about 1,240 research participants—less than 0.011% of the individuals included in our analysis—share any sort of genetic connection to the Roopkund individuals. And of those participants, we can count the number of individuals who share over 30 cM of DNA (what we label a “significant genetic connection” in the Historical Matches feature) on just one hand. In fact, we found so few &#8220;significant relatives” that the chances any of those connections trace back to a recent shared common ancestor on a genealogical family tree are extremely slim.



(Although if you happen to be one of those lucky individuals who sees a “significant connection” listed to one of the Roopkund individuals in your 23andMe report, please <a href="https://customercare.23andme.com/hc/en-us/requests/new" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">reach out to us</a>, as we’d love to learn more!)



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-else-did-we-discover">What else did we discover?</h2>



So, we didn’t solve the mystery of who the Roopkund individuals were, but we did gather fascinating data about their connections to the present day.



First, here is a breakdown of the 17 Roopkund individuals whose DNA was well preserved enough to include in our analyses:



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>8 from Roopkund A (South Asian ancestry)</li>



<li>8 from Roopkund B (Eastern Mediterranean ancestry)</li>



<li>1 from Roopkund C (Southeast Asian ancestry)</li>
</ul>



As we mentioned, about 1,240 23andMe research participants shared a genetic connection to the Roopkund individuals. The figure below shows the number of matches each Roopkund group received and highlights the amount of DNA shared. As you can see, the vast majority of the connections we discovered involve less than 20 cM of DNA, meaning that they likely trace back to a shared common ancestor who lived long before any of the Roopkund individuals.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="411" height="252" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/image-3.png" alt="" class="wp-image-34359" style="width:625px;height:auto" srcset="https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/image-3.png 411w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/image-3-300x184.png 300w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 411px) 100vw, 411px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">This figure shows the distribution of total shared DNA that we detected between 23andMe research participants and each of the Roopkund groups (A, B and C). It shows that the vast majority of the connections we identified are to individuals in the Roopkund B group, and the DNA segments they share are shorter than 15 cM. In order to protect participant privacy, all counts less than or equal to 5 are masked and appear equal to 5. </figcaption></figure>



Of those who share a genetic connection, the majority (~1,160) shared a connection to one or more individuals in the Roopkund B group—the one with Eastern Mediterranean-related ancestry. This didn&#8217;t surprise us, since the majority of 23andMe research participants have European ancestry, making them more likely to be related to the Roopkund B individuals.



In addition to occurring more frequently, the Roopkund B individuals also shared some of the strongest genetic connections to 23andMe research participants, as shown in the figure below which depicts the maximum amount of DNA that each Roopkund individual shared with a research participant.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="643" height="448" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/image-4.png" alt="" class="wp-image-34360" srcset="https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/image-4.png 643w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/image-4-300x209.png 300w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 643px) 100vw, 643px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">This figure shows the maximum amount of shared DNA that we detected between 23andMe research participants and each of the Roopkund individuals. The individuals are arranged along the x-axis by when they lived, as measured by radiocarbon dating. We masked this result for Roopkund individuals who shared DNA with 5 or fewer 23andMe research participants in order to protect participant privacy, and reported maximum DNA sharing as equal to 0.</figcaption></figure>



We decided to see what Genetic Groups the Roopkund individuals could be connected to, using the same approach that we use to connect customers to these Genetic Groups.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;



Many of the Roopkund B individuals received matches to Genetic Groups in south eastern Europe, with the strongest connections to groups in Greece and Crete–exactly mirroring the findings of the original study!



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="849" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/roopkund_b_2-1024x849.png" alt="" class="wp-image-34352" style="width:575px" srcset="https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/roopkund_b_2-1024x849.png 1024w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/roopkund_b_2-300x249.png 300w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/roopkund_b_2-768x636.png 768w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/roopkund_b_2-880x729.png 880w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/roopkund_b_2-1180x978.png 1180w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">This map shows the location of the different Genetic Groups that we compared the Roopkund B individuals to. Groups shown in darker colors shared the strongest genetic matches to one or more of the Roopkund B individuals.</figcaption></figure>



Since the Roopkund A and Roopkund C individuals shared far fewer genetic connections to 23andMe research participants, it was hard to localize their ancestry in the same way. But we were able to connect the Roopkund C individual to a single Genetic Group, located in China. This finding is generally consistent with the original study, where this individual exhibited connections to populations in East and Southeast Asia.&nbsp;



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="874" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/roopkund_c_2-1024x874.png" alt="" class="wp-image-34353" style="width:592px;height:auto" srcset="https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/roopkund_c_2-1024x874.png 1024w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/roopkund_c_2-300x256.png 300w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/roopkund_c_2-768x655.png 768w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/roopkund_c_2-880x751.png 880w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/roopkund_c_2-1180x1007.png 1180w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">This map shows the location of the different Genetic Groups that we compared the Roopkund C individual to. Groups shown in darker colors shared the strongest genetic matches to the Roopkund C individual.</figcaption></figure>



We couldn’t connect the Roopkund A individuals to any of the Genetic Groups that we have identified. That doesn’t mean they aren’t genetically related to any of these groups. Instead it is likely just because the original research team was only able to sequence a small amount of DNA from these individuals, making it harder to connect them to research participants in the 23andMe database.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-s-next">What’s Next?</h2>



So for now, all we can say is that the mystery of Roopkund Lake continues. But we promise this archaeological site is one that is close to our hearts. If we have any updates in the future, we’ll be sure to let you know.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-learn-more">Learn more</h2>



Want to see if you share a genetic connection with any of the individuals who died at Roopkund Lake—or hundreds of other historical people? The Historical Matches feature is available to <a href="https://www.23andme.com/membership/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">23andMe+ Premium</a>™ members.



And if you are interested in finding ways to celebrate International Archaeology Day, check out organizations like the Archaeological Institute of America, which has an exciting <a href="https://www.archaeological.org/events/category/international-archaeology-day/list/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">calendar of Archaeology-related events</a>.

New Historical Matches Could Connect You to the Mysterious Skeletons of Roopkund Lake

This update is currently available to all eligible customers on the latest, V5, genotyping chip. 



The 23andMe Ancestry Team has been working hard on <a href="https://blog.23andme.com/articles/a-major-update-to-ancestry-composition-is-coming-soon" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">a major update to the Ancestry Composition report</a>, and results are now available! Our goal is to provide the most accurate and meaningful genetic ancestry results in the industry. We ground our models in rigorous science, guided by established population genetics research, to ensure your results are consistent, reliable, and can help guide your personal journey of discovery.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-changes-you-ll-see">What changes you&#8217;ll see</h2>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>New granularity in your ancestry percentages: 33 new populations in Europe and 6 in the Americas to explore. Plus we&#8217;ve updated our algorithm to eliminate “Broadly” and “Unassigned” categories in the default results view.&nbsp;</li>



<li>More accurate results: A new state-of-the-art DNA phasing pipeline reduces errors and gives a more accurate estimate of your percentages, even if your ancestry isn&#8217;t from Europe or the Americas.&nbsp;</li>



<li>New features: A new “Version History” section lets you compare your new results to your previous result, and <a href="https://www.23andme.com/membership/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">23andMe+ Premium</a>™ members can also access all previous versions of their results at different confidence thresholds.</li>
</ul>



This update powers your Ancestry Composition, Ancestry Timeline, Parental Inheritance, DNA Painting, and more.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-our-focus-for-this-update">Our focus for this update</h2>



For this update we focused on improving the entire Ancestry Composition pipeline integrating the latest research. Throughout the rounds of development we look at two major metrics: precision and recall. Precision lets us know how often we correctly predict that a piece of DNA is from a specific population. Recall tells us how much DNA from a specific population we can correctly identify. Working to maximize both precision and recall is critical to making Ancestry Composition and other ancestry features as accurate as possible.



<figure class="wp-block-image alignleft size-full is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="366" height="368" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/AC78_wheel.png" alt="" class="wp-image-34276" style="width:170px;height:auto" srcset="https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/AC78_wheel.png 366w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/AC78_wheel-298x300.png 298w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/AC78_wheel-150x150.png 150w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/AC78_wheel-271x271.png 271w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 366px) 100vw, 366px" /></figure>



The final models in this update had good precision and recall across the new populations, ensuring the accuracy of the ancestry breakdown predictions while also expanding the specificity and granularity of the populations. One example of the improvements gained by this update is the reduced amount of North Asian ancestry predicted for some Indigenous North American customers. You can learn more about the development process and see precision and recall metrics for each population in the <a href="https://www.23andme.com/ancestry-composition-guide/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Ancestry Composition Guide</a>.



While this update focused on increasing granularity in Europe and the Americas, customers from other parts of the world will still benefit thanks to the improvements to the science and the removal of broadly and unassigned ancestry.



<a href="https://you.23andme.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Sign in</a> and check out your new results.&nbsp;



Not yet a 23andMe member? Learn more about what <a href="https://www.23andme.com/compare-dna-tests/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">23andMe has to offer</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-some-questions-you-might-be-wondering-about">Some questions you might be wondering about</h2>



Why are certain populations combined?



To define the 78 Ancestry Composition populations, we analyzed the reference datasets, chose candidate populations that appeared to cluster together, and then evaluated whether we can distinguish those groups in practice. Some populations tend to cluster on their own, but most country-level populations overlap to some degree. In these cases, we experiment with different groupings of country-level populations to find combinations that we can distinguish with high confidence. Check out the <a href="https://www.23andme.com/ancestry-composition-guide/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Ancestry Composition Guide</a> to learn more.



Does this mean that the people in those groups are the same? No. Each group has its own history, culture, and often different languages. These groupings are a reflection of our current genetic understanding and scientific methods, not a statement about cultural identity.



Does this mean DNA that is assigned to these populations is from all groups? Not necessarily. For example, DNA assigned to the Belarusian, Polish &amp; Ukrainian group might mean your ancestors were from one, two, or all three of those country-level populations. Sometimes other information from your DNA, such as your Genetic Groups, might help you identify more specific locations your ancestors may have come from.&nbsp;



Why are some reference panels smaller than before?



A reference panel, or a reference population or reference dataset, is a collection of DNA samples from people with some common connection. We compare your DNA to these reference panels to determine which ancestry most closely corresponds to your DNA. We often use 23andMe research participants who tell us they have four grandparents all born in the same country for reference panels.



However, sometimes when we look at the ancestry prediction for individuals in a reference panel for a specific population a few individuals don&#8217;t end up being predicted to have a reasonably large percentage of their DNA from that population. These individuals are considered outliers. As part of this update we systematically reviewed our reference panels around the world to remove these outliers. But don&#8217;t worry; even though some reference panels might be smaller, we still check that the models perform as well as (or better than) before for people with ancestry from these regions.&nbsp;



Why is there no Indigenous Caribbean population?



To define a new ancestry population we need reference panels made up of individuals who have deep genetic roots from one place. However, many individuals from the Caribbean are highly admixed (“admixture” refers to places where there was mixing of previously separate populations). This makes it incredibly difficult to identify a sufficient number of individuals with primarily indigenous DNA from the Caribbean. The reference panels for the new Indigenous American populations are almost entirely unadmixed, which is why we are able to provide ancestry percentages for these populations.&nbsp;



<figure class="wp-block-image alignright size-large is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="502" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/avg_ancestry_caribbean-1024x502.png" alt="" class="wp-image-27359" style="width:371px;height:auto" srcset="https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/avg_ancestry_caribbean-1024x502.png 1024w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/avg_ancestry_caribbean-300x147.png 300w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/avg_ancestry_caribbean-768x376.png 768w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/avg_ancestry_caribbean-880x431.png 880w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/avg_ancestry_caribbean-1180x578.png 1180w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



So where does Indigenous Caribbean ancestry show up? We tend to see that Indigenous American ancestry in individuals from the Caribbean is spread among several of the new Indigenous American populations (especially North American, Southern Mesoamerican, Central Andean &amp; Amazonian, and Northern Andean).



Does this mean Indigenous Caribbean ancestors came from those places? Not necessarily. It simply means that of the options available today, those populations are the closest genetic match.&nbsp;



Why weren&#8217;t other parts of the world updated?



While we would love to be able to make major updates around the world more frequently, each new population requires new reference data and major updates in the prediction models. Throughout the years we have increased the number of populations across the rest of the world; however, we have not updated the populations in Europe since 2012. This update was an important opportunity to provide more detail in Europe and the Americas.



We will continue to work towards providing more specificity and granularity around the world in your ancestry percentages as well as Genetic Groups (keep an eye out over the next few months for new Genetic Groups in Africa), <a href="https://blog.23andme.com/articles/23andmes-historic-matches" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Historical Matches</a>SM, and other features.



Why did the colors change?



Adding 39 new colors to the color palette was quite the task for the 23andMe Design Team. The team took this opportunity to think about the colors holistically, coming up with a new system that provides a gradient across the world, allowing for nearby populations that are closer together geographically to be represented by more similar colors, while at the same time providing a system that can work for more populations in the future.



Who will get this update?



All customers genotyped on the current (V5) chip and with access to the ancestry service will see this update. A genotyping chip (or array) tests for a fixed set of genetic variants (SNPs) across the genome. Different chip versions (V1, V2, V3, V4, V5, etc.) test for different sets of SNPs. More recent chips often include better coverage for certain populations, recently discovered variants, or better genetic markers that help improve ancestry?composition algorithms or detect health?associated variants.



Ancestry Composition is trained on specific genotyping chip versions, and these latest models were only trained on the latest chip version. The models are incompatible with data from older genotyping chips, as older chips don’t include most of the genetic markers used by these new ancestry models. More recent chip versions are also designed with better coverage for diverse populations. If you&#8217;re on an older chip version (or not sure which chip version you have) learn about chip upgrades <a href="https://customercare.23andme.com/hc/en-us/articles/360025014494-How-Do-I-Upgrade-My-Genotyping-Chip" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">here</a>.



What happens if my family deleted data and I want to connect with them?



When you connect with a biological parent through Your Connections, we use the additional information we learn from your parents&#8217; DNA to improve the resolution of your Ancestry Composition results. You will also be able to see the proportions of each ancestry that you inherited from each parent in the Parental Inheritance section in your Ancestry Composition report. If a family member has deleted their account they will need to purchase a new kit and create a new account before you can connect with them.

It’s Finally Here: A New Version of Ancestry Composition

Each year from September 15–October 15, National Hispanic Heritage Month celebrates the histories, cultures, and contributions of people from Spain, Latin America, and other Spanish-speaking communities. To mark the occasion, we’re highlighting a remarkable ancient DNA study from Las Gobas, a medieval site in northern Spain that sheds new light on life in early Iberia, which comprises present-day Spain and Portugal.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-setting-the-scene-iberia-in-the-early-medieval-period">Setting the Scene: Iberia in the Early Medieval Period</h2>



From the 5th to 8th centuries CE, Iberia was ruled by the Visigoths, a Germanic people who established power after the fall of the Western Roman Empire. In 711 CE, their kingdom collapsed after the Umayyads—an Islamic dynasty with roots in Arabia and North Africa—invaded and established the Emirate (and later the Caliphate) of Córdoba. This new state controlled much of Iberia, along with the Balearic Islands and parts of North Africa.



In the mountainous north, however, many communities retained their independence and Christian traditions, even as the rest of the Iberian peninsula underwent profound cultural and political change.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-life-at-las-gobas">Life at Las Gobas</h2>



Las Gobas, located in today’s province of Burgos in northern Spain, consists of 13 rock-cut caves and several freestanding structures. Beginning in the 7th century, it served as a mixed-use settlement with homes, a Christian church, and a cemetery. By the late 9th century, the residential area was abandoned, but the site continued to be used as a burial ground and place of worship until the 11th century.



<a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39196943/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">In 2024</a>, researchers analyzed DNA from 33 individuals buried at Las Gobas. They discovered that the community’s ancestry remained surprisingly stable over the centuries, with little evidence of genetic influence from the Islamic expansion that reshaped much of Iberia.



Why was Las Gobas different? Their DNA offered a clue. Many individuals carried stretches of identical DNA inherited from both parents—patterns that often occur in small, insular populations with limited outside contact. This genetic isolation likely helped shield the community from broader population shifts happening elsewhere.



The study also revealed striking details about life at Las Gobas:



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Inbreeding: The DNA of several individuals showed evidence that their parents were close relatives; likely first cousins or closer.</li>



<li>Disease: DNA evidence showed infections from multiple pathogens, including what may be one of the earliest documented cases of smallpox in northern Iberia.</li>



<li>Violence: Skeletal remains showed signs of traumatic injuries, likely from swords—evidence of interpersonal conflict or warfare.</li>
</ul>



Taken together, the findings paint a vivid—and sometimes harsh—picture of life more than a thousand years ago in a small, tightly knit community in northern Spain.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-learn-more">Learn more</h2>



Want to see if you share a genetic connection with these newly added individuals from Las Gobas—or hundreds of other historical people? The <a href="https://blog.23andme.com/articles/23andmes-historic-matches" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Historical Matches</a>SM feature is available to <a href="https://www.23andme.com/membership/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">23andMe+ Premium</a>™ members.

New Historical Matches Could Connect You to the Medieval Iberian Site of Las Gobas

<a href="https://blog.23andme.com/articles/ancestry-composition-version-7-is-here" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">This update</a> is currently available to all eligible customers on the latest, V5, genotyping chip.



23andMe’s flagship Ancestry Composition algorithm was last updated in 2022, when three new reference populations were added in China. Since then, the 23andMe Ancestry Team has focused on improving the specificity of reference populations and updating the methods underlying this state-of-the art algorithm. The result? More specificity and accuracy in the ancestry breakdowns we provide.&nbsp;



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="508" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Ac-omega-map-correc-1024x508.png" alt="" class="wp-image-34246" srcset="https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Ac-omega-map-correc-1024x508.png 1024w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Ac-omega-map-correc-300x149.png 300w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Ac-omega-map-correc-768x381.png 768w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Ac-omega-map-correc-880x437.png 880w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Ac-omega-map-correc-1180x585.png 1180w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



The project, Version 7 of Ancestry Composition, is the most significant update to the feature ever.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-improved-algorithm-expanded-populations-better-results">Improved algorithm, expanded populations, better results</h2>



Over the last few months, we’ve been hard at work finalizing the details on this major update to your favorite report: Ancestry Composition.&nbsp;



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="499" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/image-3-1024x499.png" alt="" class="wp-image-34237" style="width:537px;height:auto" srcset="https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/image-3-1024x499.png 1024w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/image-3-300x146.png 300w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/image-3-768x374.png 768w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/image-3-880x429.png 880w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/image-3-1180x575.png 1180w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/image-3.png 1600w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



Here’s what we&#8217;ve been working on:



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Better breakdowns in Europe and the Americas: Thanks mainly to consented 23andMe research participants we&#8217;ve been able to expand the number of unique populations in our reference datasets. Reference datasets are collections of DNA samples from people with deep roots in a specific part of the world. It&#8217;s what is needed to compare each piece of your DNA to in order to determine where in the world that DNA most likely came from. What this means is we’re launching with nearly four times the resolution in Europe and six new populations in the Americas. We also took the opportunity to refine reference datasets from around the world, making them more specific to each global population.</li>



<li>Enhanced Accuracy: The accuracy of these new ancestry results are greatly improved by using our <a href="https://www.cell.com/hgg-advances/fulltext/S2666-2477(25)00082-X" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">recently published</a>, state-of-the-art DNA phasing method. You could think of phasing as sorting which DNA you inherited from each parent. Reducing errors in phasing means a more accurate estimate of your ancestry percentages and better <a href="https://customercare.23andme.com/hc/en-us/articles/212860507-Chromosome-Painting-23andMe-Ancestry-Results" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">DNA Painting</a>.&nbsp;</li>



<li>Elimination of Broadly and Unassigned DNA: We are updating our algorithm to report the most likely assignment for a given stretch of DNA rather than at a fixed confidence threshold. This will have the benefit of eliminating &#8220;Broadly&#8221; and &#8220;Unassigned&#8221; categories in the default results view. You will still be able to view your results at different confidence thresholds in the Version History section.</li>



<li>Better Error Detection: We&#8217;ve upgraded our smoother to better filter out erroneous trace ancestries between two larger blocks of ancestry. See our <a href="https://www.23andme.com/ancestry-composition-guide/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Ancestry Composition Guide</a> for more information about the current smoother.</li>



<li>Version History: Compare your new results to your old ones in a new &#8220;Version History&#8221; section. <a href="https://www.23andme.com/membership/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">23andMe+ Premium</a>™ members will also be able to access previous versions at different confidence settings.</li>
</ul>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-are-the-new-reference-populations-nbsp">What are the new reference populations?&nbsp;</h2>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>33 new ancestry populations in Europe are coming: Albanian &amp; Macedonian; Andalusian, Asturian &amp; Castilian; Aragonese &amp; Catalan; Austrian &amp; Southern German; Basque; Belarusian, Polish &amp; Ukrainian; Belgian, Rhinelander &amp; Southern Dutch; Bosnian, Croatian, Montenegrin &amp; Serbian; Bulgarian, Moldovan &amp; Romanian; Canary Islander; Czech, Hungarian, Slovak &amp; Southern Polish; Danish; Dutch &amp; Northern German; English; Estonian; Finnish; French; Greek; Icelandic; Irish; Kosovar &amp; Northern Albanian; Latvian; Lithuanian; Maltese; Northern Italian; Norwegian; Portuguese &amp; Galician; Russian; Sardinian; Scottish; Slovenian; Southern Italian; Swedish; Swiss, Southwestern German &amp; Western Austrian; Welsh</li>
</ul>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="840" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/europe_map-1024x840.png" alt="" class="wp-image-34262" style="width:523px;height:auto" srcset="https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/europe_map-1024x840.png 1024w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/europe_map-300x246.png 300w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/europe_map-768x630.png 768w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/europe_map-880x722.png 880w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/europe_map.png 1101w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Indigenous American will be broken into 6 new ancestry populations: Arctic North American, Central Andean &amp; Amazonian, North American, Northern Andean, Southern Mesoamerican, and Western North American</li>
</ul>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="562" height="393" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/image-2.png" alt="" class="wp-image-34236" srcset="https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/image-2.png 562w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/image-2-300x210.png 300w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 562px) 100vw, 562px" /></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-your-dna-story-now-clearer-across-time-place-and-family">Your DNA story, now clearer across time, place, and family</h2>



These updates, drawn from sharper science and richer data, power everything you use to explore your ancestry, including Ancestry Timeline, Parental Inheritance, DNA Painting, and more. This builds on the world’s most comprehensive ancestry breakdown on the market with over 4,000 regions, helping you experience the life-changing power of DNA by tracing where your ancestors lived and what they passed on to you.



Ancestry Composition, Version 7. More precision. More connection. More you.



This is a massive project for us and a chance to get back to our roots by digging deeper into yours. We’re thrilled you’re as excited as we are.



The 23andMe Ancestry Team

A Major Update to Ancestry Composition

<h5 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-fda-now-recommends-genetic-testing-before-prescribing-specific-chemotherapy-medications">FDA Now Recommends Genetic Testing Before Prescribing Specific Chemotherapy Medications</h5>



For years, patient advocates have been calling for stronger safeguards against preventable toxicity from chemotherapy. Last week, the FDA took a major step forward, updating the label for a drug called <a href="https://medlineplus.gov/druginfo/meds/a699003.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">capecitabine</a> to explicitly recommend testing for variants in the DPYD gene before starting treatment. This is more than just a label change—it&#8217;s a long-awaited acknowledgment that genetics matter when it comes to patient safety.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">What is DPYD?</h2>



The <a href="https://medlineplus.gov/genetics/gene/dpyd/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">DPYD gene</a> provides instructions for making an enzyme called DPD (dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase), which helps the body break down certain chemotherapy drugs like capecitabine and <a href="https://medlineplus.gov/druginfo/meds/a682708.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">5-fluorouracil</a>. These medications are commonly used to treat breast, colorectal, and other cancers. People with certain changes in this gene may not process these drugs properly, causing the drugs to build up in the body and, in some cases, leading to severe or even life-threatening <a href="https://medlineplus.gov/genetics/condition/dihydropyrimidine-dehydrogenase-deficiency/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">reactions</a>.



<figure class="wp-block-image alignleft size-full is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="508" height="531" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/drug-bottle.png" alt="" class="wp-image-34304" style="width:126px;height:auto" srcset="https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/drug-bottle.png 508w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/drug-bottle-287x300.png 287w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 508px) 100vw, 508px" /></figure>



These reactions can include painful mouth sores, severe diarrhea, low white blood cell counts, and nerve problems. <a href="https://medlineplus.gov/genetics/condition/dihydropyrimidine-dehydrogenase-deficiency/#frequency" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Up to 8%</a> of people have a variant in the DPYD gene that affects how well they process these medications. Sadly, some patients with DPYD variants have died after receiving these drugs. Such experiences have fueled years of advocacy calling for genetic testing before treatment, not after. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-change-in-the-recommendations">A change in the recommendations</h2>



Until now, the FDA advised doctors they could &#8220;consider testing&#8221; patients before giving capecitabine or similar drugs. The <a href="https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2025/020896s052lbl.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">new label</a> goes much further, adding a warning that says, &#8220;serious adverse reactions or death may occur in patients with complete DPD deficiency&#8221; and telling doctors to test for DPYD variants before prescribing the medication. (Experts predict a similar change to the 5-fluorouracil drug label soon.) It&#8217;s a major win for patient safety and for the <a href="https://test4dpd.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">advocacy groups</a> who have pushed tirelessly for this change. Organizations that have long advocated for universal DPYD testing hope this update will encourage hospitals and cancer centers across the U.S. to make pretreatment genetic testing standard care.



<figure class="wp-block-image alignright size-large is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="790" height="1024" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/PGt-Home-790x1024.png" alt="23andMe mobile pharmacogenomics" class="wp-image-28527" style="width:256px;height:auto" srcset="https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/PGt-Home-790x1024.png 790w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/PGt-Home-231x300.png 231w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/PGt-Home-768x996.png 768w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/PGt-Home-679x880.png 679w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/PGt-Home-910x1180.png 910w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/PGt-Home.png 1583w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 790px) 100vw, 790px" /></figure>



We share the belief that genetic insights can empower individuals and help improve outcomes. The 23andMe® <a href="https://www.23andme.com/topics/pharmacogenetics/dpyd/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">DPYD Drug Metabolism Pharmacogenetics report</a>*, available to <a href="https://www.23andme.com/membership/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">23andMe+ Premium</a>™ members, provides information about two variants associated with reduced DPD enzyme activity. While this report isn&#8217;t a substitute for clinical testing, it can help people learn whether they carry certain DPYD variants and start a conversation with their healthcare provider. 



The FDA&#8217;s new label is an important step toward safer, more personalized cancer treatment and a long-awaited victory for the patients and advocates who made their voices heard.



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



 * 23andMe PGS Pharmacogenetics reports: The 23andMe test uses qualitative genotyping to detect 3 variants in the CYP2C19 gene, 2 variants in the DPYD gene and 1 variant in the SLCO1B1 gene 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. Our CYP2C19 Pharmacogenetics report provides certain information about variants associated with metabolism of some therapeutics and provides interpretive drug information regarding the potential effect of citalopram and clopidogrel therapy. Our SLCO1B1 Pharmacogenetics report provides certain information about variants associated with the processing of some therapeutics and provides interpretive drug information regarding the potential effect of simvastatin therapy. Our DPYD Pharmacogenetics report does not describe the association between detected variants and any specific therapeutic. Results for DPYD and certain CYP2C19 results should be confirmed by an independent genetic test prescribed by your own healthcare provider 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 important information and limitations regarding Pharmacogenetic reports, visit <a href="http://23andme.com/test-info/pharmacogenetics/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">23andme.com/test-info/pharmacogenetics/</a>

A Big Step Forward for Patient Safety

We often hear about the &#8220;nature versus nurture&#8221; debate, framing it as a battle between our genes and our environment. But in many cases it&#8217;s not a battle at all, it&#8217;s a partnership. The way our genes impact our health and traits may change depending on our environment.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="684" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/GettyImages-981323210-1024x684.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-30209" srcset="https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/GettyImages-981323210-1024x684.jpg 1024w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/GettyImages-981323210-300x200.jpg 300w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/GettyImages-981323210-768x513.jpg 768w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/GettyImages-981323210-880x587.jpg 880w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/GettyImages-981323210-1180x788.jpg 1180w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



Understanding both &#8220;nature&#8221; and &#8220;nurture&#8221; is especially important when we consider complex skills critical to success in life, like reading. Thanks to the contribution of over a million 23andMe® research participants, a <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40991152/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">new study</a>, led by scientists from the University of Edinburgh, is helping to untangle how both genes and environment work to shape literacy.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-reading-puzzle-nbsp">The Reading Puzzle&nbsp;</h2>



Literacy is a powerful predictor of life outcomes, from education level to income. For decades, researchers have tried to understand the roles genetics and environment play in why some people learn to read and spell more easily than others.



<figure class="wp-block-image alignleft size-full is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="425" height="282" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2008/07/twins.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-392" style="width:309px;height:auto" srcset="https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2008/07/twins.jpg 425w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2008/07/twins-300x199.jpg 300w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 425px) 100vw, 425px" /></figure>



Several <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23725549/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">studies</a> of <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19076484/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">twins</a> in the United States suggested an interaction between genes and environment. In these studies, how much influence genetics had on reading skills seemed to be higher in families with a higher socioeconomic status. In other words, genetics appeared to have a bigger impact on a child&#8217;s reading ability when they were in a more advantaged environment. This idea is called a gene-by-environment interaction.



However, the evidence of this gene-by-environment interaction was mixed in studies conducted in the <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19296213/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">United Kingdom</a> and <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28832969/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Australia</a>. This puzzle led researchers to ask: can we use modern genetic data to test this theory in large, diverse populations?



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-new-approach">A New Approach</h2>



Researchers utilized summary statistics from a 2022 <a href="https://blog.23andme.com/articles/study-identifies-genetic-links-to-dyslexia" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">genome-wide association study (GWAS) on dyslexia</a> to construct a polygenic score—a way of estimating someone’s genetic tendency toward a trait by adding up the small effects of thousands of DNA differences.



The team then applied this polygenic score to two large groups of children and adolescents in Australia and the United Kingdom to see if the score&#8217;s effect on reading and spelling skills was moderated by their family&#8217;s socioeconomic status. Socioeconomic status was used as a broad measure of environmental advantage, capturing factors like parental education level and household income.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-was-discovered-two-parallel-paths">What Was Discovered: Two Parallel Paths</h2>



Both the dyslexia polygenic score (nature) and socioeconomic status (nurture) were significant predictors of reading and spelling performance. Together, demographic, genetic, and socioeconomic factors explained between 8% and 11.6% of the variation in reading skills.



However, the study found no interaction effect. Nature and nurture were both important, but they worked in parallel.



This means the influence of a person&#8217;s genetic predisposition was the same, regardless of their family&#8217;s socioeconomic background. In these groups, a higher genetic predisposition for reading provided a similar boost to children from all socioeconomic backgrounds.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-bigger-picture">The Bigger Picture</h2>



This finding is an important reminder to scientists to consider different environments when looking for gene-by-environment interactions. While some earlier US-based studies suggested an interaction, the different environments in these large UK and Australian groups showed a different outcome. Suggesting that both our genes and our environment make their own distinct contributions to the development of this fundamental skill.



Of course, every study has its limitations. The 23andMe research participants who contributed to the original GWAS are a self-selecting group and may not be perfectly representative of the general population. Additionally, only about 5% of 23andMe research participants said they had dyslexia, which is on the lower end of the <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18652545/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">commonly cited 5–10% range</a>.



Even so, this large-scale study provides a crucial piece of the puzzle, emphasizing how vital it is to test scientific findings in diverse environments to get the full story.

Nature and Nurture: A New Look at the Genetics of Reading Ability

This week the American Society of Human Genetics (ASHG) is having its <a href="https://meetings.ashg.org/event/ASHG25/home/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">annual meeting</a> in Boston. Attending the ASHG annual meeting is about more than just presenting our work, it&#8217;s one way we are working to ensure that the 23andMe® Research Institute contributes to a healthier future for everyone.



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Amplifying impact: Sharing our discoveries with a global audience helps our work reach those who can build upon it, accelerating the path from discovery to clinic.</li>



<li>Fostering collaboration: It&#8217;s where we connect with the brightest minds in the field. These conversations spark new ideas and forge partnerships that are essential for tackling complex diseases.</li>



<li>Staying on the cutting edge: Exposure to the latest technologies and unpublished data keeps our research relevant and innovative.</li>
</ul>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-23andme-research-institute-at-ashg">23andMe Research Institute at ASHG</h2>



For those attending, stop by our posters in the following sessions:



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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 15TH 2:30 &#8211; 4:30 PM (Posters; Board #2004W) Sustaining Research Ethics in Times of Change: A Framework from the 23andMe Research Program



presented by Emily DelloRusso, Principal Regulatory Science Manager
</div>



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</div>
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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 16TH 2:30 &#8211; 4:30 PM (Posters; Board #2035T) Explore23: a privacy-forward, secure, extensible, and easy-to-use web application for exploration of a large genomic research cohort



presented by Julie Granka, Director, Statistical Genetics
</div>



<div class="wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow" style="flex-basis:33.33%">
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="819" height="1024" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/image-1-819x1024.png" alt="" class="wp-image-34328" style="width:150px" srcset="https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/image-1-819x1024.png 819w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/image-1-240x300.png 240w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/image-1-768x960.png 768w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/image-1-704x880.png 704w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/image-1-944x1180.png 944w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/image-1.png 1280w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 819px) 100vw, 819px" /></figure>
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FRIDAY, OCTOBER 17TH 2:30 &#8211; 4:30 PM (Posters; Board #3014F) Learning about a genetic predisposition to depression is psychologically well tolerated among those with high polygenic risk scores



presented by Rebecca Berns, Sr. Product Scientist I, Genomic Health and Sciences
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Interested in reading more? 23andMe has contributed to <a href="https://research.23andme.com/publications/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">more than 300 research publications</a>.

23andMe Research Institute Attending ASHG 2025

Cannabis is already one of the most widely used drugs globally, and its use will likely grow even more as it becomes more socially accepted and legally available. For many the recreational use of cannabis poses few problems, but for as many as a third of users, it becomes problematic developing into an addiction or what scientists call cannabis use disorder. Research suggests that genetics may explain why.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-searching-the-genome-for-clues">Searching the Genome for Clues</h2>



In collaboration with 23andMe Research Institute, researchers at the University of California, San Diego <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41380-025-03219-2" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">published a study</a> today that found genetic links to cannabis use as well as links to psychiatric, cognitive, and physical health. The researchers used data from more than 130,000 people who consented to participate in 23andMe research. Participants answered survey questions on whether they had ever used cannabis (“lifetime use”) and, for those who had, how often they used it during their heaviest 30-day period (“frequency of use”). The team then conducted genome-wide association studies searching for genetic variants linked to ever trying cannabis and how often people used the drug.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-the-data-revealed">What the Data Revealed</h2>



Researchers found that having ever used cannabis was associated with two genetic regions: CADM2—a gene <a href="https://blog.23andme.com/articles/scientists-identify-genes-associated-with-cannabis-use" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">previously linked</a> to cannabis and other substance use, impulsivity, and risk-taking—and GRM3. While GRM3 has been tied to alcohol use, schizophrenia, and certain personality traits, this is the first time it’s been linked to cannabis use. How often someone used cannabis was associated with a different variant also near CADM2, strengthening this gene’s role in cannabis behaviors. Both having ever used cannabis and how frequently someone used cannabis were genetically linked to other substance use, pain, and psychiatric conditions like depression. Researchers also created polygenic scores—which tally the effects of many different genetic variants—to estimate both the likelihood of ever having used cannabis and the frequency of cannabis use. These polygenic scores were able to replicate associations between cannabis use and substance use and mood disorders in two other independent research datasets (All of Us and BioVU). The researchers also uncovered novel associations with anxiety, celiac disease, HIV, and viral hepatitis.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-this-research-matters">Why This Research Matters</h2>



Most genetic research on cannabis has focused on two points in the spectrum: first use and cannabis use disorder. But the stages in between—like how often someone uses cannabis—are just as important. Studying these “pre-addiction” traits may help determine who is more likely to progress from a casual user to someone with cannabis use disorder. This study was one of the first genome wide association studies to look at traits that may lead to cannabis use disorder.&nbsp;



Traits like frequency of cannabis use can reveal genetic factors that shape vulnerability before addiction develops. Understanding these factors could eventually help predict risk for cannabis use disorder and related health conditions.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-more-than-just-dna">More Than Just DNA</h2>



Like all research there are some important considerations to keep in mind for this study:



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>While this research focused on genetics, many non-genetic factors may also play a significant role in a person&#8217;s likelihood of using cannabis or developing cannabis use disorder.</li>



<li>The study was conducted in people of European descent (based on an analysis of their local genetic ancestry), so the findings may not fully apply to people of other ancestries.</li>



<li>The measure of frequency (use days in a 30-day window) of using cannabis doesn’t capture full patterns such as the duration of regular use or quantity consumed.</li>



<li>While GRM3 is a promising lead, more work is needed to understand how the genetic variant in this region affects cannabis use biology.</li>
</ul>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-road-ahead">The Road Ahead</h2>



Future research will need to expand to larger and more diverse cohorts and include other cannabis-related traits such as craving, withdrawal, and response to cannabis. Combining genetic insights from multiple stages of cannabis use could:



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Improve the discovery of new genetic variants</li>



<li>Help build predictive models for problematic use</li>



<li>Clarify how cannabis genetics intersect with physical and mental health</li>
</ul>



Takeaway: Studying genetic influences on early cannabis use behaviors could eventually help predict risk for cannabis use disorder and related health conditions, and may help shed light on who is most at risk for cannabis use disorder.&nbsp; These findings mark an important step toward understanding the genetics of cannabis use and its health consequences.

New Genetic Insights Into Cannabis Use

Late in the first quarter in only his third game this season, one professional football team’s star edge-rusher limped off the field, gesturing to his trainers with his thumb down. Apparently, he already knew what he&#8217;d find out a short time later with an MRI: he&#8217;d again torn his ACL, the anterior cruciate ligament.



While a hard tackle or awkward fall can tear an ACL, some people may be more prone to an ACL tear than others, and their genetics may explain why.



A new 23andMe polygenic risk score (PRS) report sheds light on that genetic connection. The report examines how a person&#8217;s genetics may impact their likelihood of experiencing an ACL tear, an injury particularly common among those involved in high-impact sports.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-genetics-may-influence-acl-tear-risk">How Genetics May Influence ACL Tear Risk</h2>



First, it&#8217;s important to note that your genetics is only one part of the story – many other factors can influence the risk of an ACL tear. 



<figure class="wp-block-image alignright size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="306" height="126" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/ACL-tear-PRS-Hero.png" alt="" class="wp-image-34316" srcset="https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/ACL-tear-PRS-Hero.png 306w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/ACL-tear-PRS-Hero-300x124.png 300w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 306px) 100vw, 306px" /></figure>



Tears typically occur when the knee twists or extends beyond its normal range, often seen in sports that involve jumping and sudden stops, pivots, or changes in direction. That might be in sports such as football, soccer, basketball, or downhill skiing. The ACL is the most commonly injured ligament in the knee.&nbsp;&nbsp;



We also know that ACL tears are more common in female athletes. However, because more males participate in high-risk sports, the total number of ACL tears may actually be higher in males. They are also more likely in people with a family history of an ACL injury or a personal history of an ACL tear. Indeed, genetics plays an important role, with one 2020 sports medicine journal study estimating the <a href="https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/55/7/385" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">genetic contribution to an ACL tear at approximately 69 percent</a>. 



While the exact biological mechanism involved is not yet known, the genetic associations do offer some hints. Among the many genetic variants associated with ACL tears are variants in or near genes involved in the formation of collagen, a building block for ligaments. Scientists have discovered other variants linked to tears, but most of those associations are inconclusive, and more research is needed.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-23andme-s-new-acl-tear-prs-report">23andMe&#8217;s New ACL Tear PRS Report</h2>



Knowing how genetics influences the risk for an ACL tear can empower athletes, who are at the highest risk, train smarter and work toward preventing them.&nbsp;



To create the new ACL Tear PRS Report* 23andMe scientists analyzed data from people who consented to participate in research to identify thousands of variants associated with ACL tears. The 23andMe scientists then created a genetic model that incorporated those variants to calculate the genetic likelihood of an ACL tear.



This PRS report, like other 23andMe PRS reports, is research-based and not validated for medical diagnostic use; it may have limitations for people with mixed or less-studied ancestries and does not account for every possible factor influencing ACL health. In addition, polygenic risk scores integrate many common variants, but they do not account for rare genetic variants or lifestyle factors that can heavily impact risk.&nbsp;



For individuals with an elevated genetic or family risk, creating a personalized prevention plan and scheduling regular check-ins with sports medicine professionals are great ways to keep knees healthy.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-mitigating-the-risk-of-acl-tears">Mitigating the Risk of ACL Tears</h2>



Whether you’re a pro athlete or not, and especially if you’ve already had an ACL tear before, proper training and technique&nbsp; are simple ways to help lower the likelihood of injury.



Here are a few things you can do to help lower the risk of an ACL tear:



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Build muscle strength in the hamstrings, and core to stabilize the knee.</li>



<li>Maintain proper technique for movements such as jumping, pivoting, and squatting — like landing on the balls of your feet with knees bent and keeping knees aligned over your toes.</li>



<li>Warm up and cool down before and after physical activity to increase flexibility.</li>



<li>Wear supportive, activity-appropriate footwear for correct alignment.</li>



<li>Consulting with physical therapists or trainers for form and strength assessments can further reduce the risk, regardless of one&#8217;s genetic background.</li>
</ul>



We continue to learn about the role genetics plays in sports-related injuries, including ACL tears, but genetics is just one factor.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-learn-more">Learn More</h2>



<a href="https://www.23andme.com/membership/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">23andMe+ Premium</a>™ members can view this report with their other Wellness reports.



<a href="https://you.23andme.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Sign in</a> to learn more about what 23andMe&#8217;s ACL Tear PRS can tell you. 



* The 23andMe ACL Tear PRS report is based on a genetic model that includes data and insights from 23andMe consented research participants and incorporates more than 6,000 genetic variants to provide information on the likelihood of experiencing an ACL tear. The report does not describe a person’s overall likelihood, does not account for lifestyle or family history and has not been reviewed by the US Food and Drug Administration. The ACL Tear PRS report is not intended to tell you anything about your current state of health, or to be used to make medical decisions or determine any treatment.

Genetics May Explain Why Some Athletes Are More Prone to ACL Tears

<h6 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-new-study-may-help-identify-and-more-quickly-help-the-60-of-people-with-major-depression-who-do-not-get-relief-from-their-initial-treatments">A new study may help identify and more quickly help the 60% of people with major depression who do not get relief from their initial treatments. </h6>



It is estimated that 60% of patients with major depressive disorder don&#8217;t find relief from their first medication, and as many as one-third develop <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10503923/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">treatment-resistant depression</a>, which is often defined as still experiencing symptoms after trying at least two antidepressants.



Researchers at Johnson &amp; Johnson and the 23andMe Research Institute used advanced machine learning techniques to accurately identify those at most risk for treatment-resistant depression, a massive breakthrough for those suffering with this condition.



The groundbreaking research, published this week in the journal <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41028019/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Scientific Reports</a>, used only self-reported information from about 23,000 people who consented to participate in 23andMe research. The model included a total of 101 predictive factors, including such things as age, symptoms that persist between episodes of depression, the duration of episodes of depression, stress levels, and suicidal thoughts. 



Using this predictive model, researchers were able to accurately predict those at the highest risk for treatment-resistant depression 78% of the time, according to the study.&nbsp;



The predictive model did not use either genetics or lab results, just questions that can be easily assessed by a clinician.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Why This Matters</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image alignright size-full is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="508" height="531" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/drug-bottle.png" alt="" class="wp-image-34304" style="width:161px;height:auto" srcset="https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/drug-bottle.png 508w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/drug-bottle-287x300.png 287w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 508px) 100vw, 508px" /></figure>



Typically, antidepressants used to treat major depression take a little time to work, up to a month or a month and a half. When a treatment does not work, clinicians often prescribe an alternative medication. When someone with depression fails to respond to at least two different medications, they are deemed to have treatment-resistant depression. In many cases, it can take around a year for someone to finally be diagnosed with treatment-resistant depression.



That long delay in finding effective treatment has a cost, not just in the time it takes to identify treatment but in the prolonged suffering for those in the throes of depression, unable to get relief.&nbsp;



The promise of the kind of predictive modeling described in this new study is that it would give both people with depression and clinicians who treat them a tool to flag those who might not respond to standard therapies.



Instead of waiting to see if initial treatments are effective, it may accelerate the process of finding alternatives. Additionally, this predictive model only utilizes patient-reported information; no expensive testing is required.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">More About the Predictive Model</h2>



The model identified eight primary factors that predict treatment resistance, as reported by research participants. Each offers different dimensions of their depression.



<figure class="wp-block-image alignleft size-full is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="275" height="252" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/depression.png" alt="" class="wp-image-34307" style="width:184px;height:auto"/></figure>



Participants reported on the different symptoms that persisted between the episodes of depression. They reported on how long each episode of depression lasted, and how many years they&#8217;d experienced these periodic episodes. Also included in the self-reported data were levels of stress, or whether they had recurring post-traumatic stress, and two critical factors that looked at more external stressors and life events. Also factored into the modeling was a participant&#8217;s age and whether they had suicidal thoughts. Finally, the model included the self-reported timing between episodes of depression, which was significant when the time between episodes was shorter.



Using these factors and advanced machine learning the researchers were able to accurately distinguish between those who were treatment-resistant and those who responded to treatment. An accurate way to identify if someone will or will not respond to treatment could translate into meaningful clinical benefits. It could mean the difference between waiting months for effective treatment instead of years.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">More Personalized Depression Care</h2>



This research represents a crucial step toward more personalized mental health treatment and a move away from a &#8220;one-size-fits-all&#8221; approach to treatment of depression.&nbsp;



For the millions of people living with depression, this work represents a path toward precision care, shortening the time to effective treatment and improving quality of life.



The future of depression treatment lies not just in developing new medications, but in better understanding who needs what treatment when. This predictive model brings us measurably closer to that goal, promising a world where effective depression treatment is not a matter of luck, but of precision.



If you or someone you know is struggling with depression, please reach out to a mental health professional. The <a href="https://988lifeline.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">National Suicide Prevention Lifeline</a> (988) provides 24/7 support for those in crisis.

Predicting Treatment-Resistant Depression Using the 23andMe Survey Data

<div class="wp-block-group is-nowrap is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-6c531013 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex">
This October, for Breast Cancer Awareness Month, we will be sharing some of the latest research on this important topic.
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What if the same genetic factors that put you at higher risk for developing cancer could potentially increase the chances you&#8217;d survive longer if you do get cancer? This counterintuitive possibility is exactly what researchers discovered in a groundbreaking collaboration between the 23andMe Research Institute and the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-understanding-cancer-risk-and-polygenic-scores">Understanding cancer risk and polygenic scores</h2>



Like most common diseases, cancer is multifactorial – it&#8217;s caused by a combination of genetic factors and non-genetic factors like environmental exposures and lifestyle. Polygenic risk scores are tools that can estimate an individual&#8217;s inherited genetic risk of developing many common conditions, such as cancers.&nbsp;



A <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40877800/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">recent study</a> conducted at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute investigated whether  polygenic risk scores may be associated not just with risk of disease, but with clinical outcomes. The study analyzed nearly 24,000 cancer patients to ask whether having a high <a href="https://blog.23andme.com/articles/three-new-prs-cancer-reports" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">polygenic risk score, predicting a high likelihood of cancer</a>, also could tell you anything about the prognosis for a person who does go on to develop cancer.



In collaboration with 23andMe, researchers looked at polygenic risk scores for more than 200 diseases to see if any could also predict the prognosis of six common cancer types: non-small cell lung cancer, colorectal cancer, breast carcinoma, glioma, ovarian cancer, and prostate cancer.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-an-unexpected-finding">An unexpected finding</h2>



Surprisingly, they found that among breast cancer patients, those with high polygenic risk scores for breast cancer actually showed longer average survival times than those with low scores. This finding held up even when accounting for other factors like a patient&#8217;s age, treatment, or different kinds of tumors.



Why might this be the case?&nbsp;



Cancer-causing genetic changes come in two types: those you&#8217;re born with (germline mutations) that appear in every cell, and those that develop over time in specific tissues (somatic mutations) due to factors like smoking or aging. Polygenic risk scores measure only germline mutations.



The researcher&#8217;s results raise the possibility that tumors driven more by germline mutations — and corresponding high polygenic risk scores — may tend to be less aggressive compared to tumors that are more driven by somatic mutations.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-comes-next">What comes next</h2>



While these results are statistically robust, they&#8217;ll need to be confirmed in other studies before changing how doctors might treat cancer patients. With additional investigation, these findings could eventually help doctors provide more personalized prognoses and potentially identify patients who might benefit from different treatment approaches based on their genetic risk profiles.

Study Reveals an Unexpected Link Between Genetic Cancer Risk Scores and Survival

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a complex and often debilitating condition that affects up to three percent of people, but the biological basis of the disorder has remained largely elusive. While we’ve known that genetics play a role, previous genetic studies have been limited by their relatively small sample size and have only identified a few of the specific genetic variants involved.



But that is now changing.



<a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40360802/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">In a recent study</a>, the largest of its kind ever conducted for OCD, researchers identified dozens of genetic variants associated with the disorder, offering unprecedented insight into its underlying biology.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-power-of-numbers">The Power of Numbers</h2>



For complex conditions like OCD, genetic discovery is a numbers game. To find the subtle genetic variations that contribute to risk, scientists need to compare the DNA of vast numbers of people with and without the condition. This is where the research model of the 23andMe Research Institute makes a world of difference.



<figure class="wp-block-image alignright size-full is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="600" height="600" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/your_dna_family.png" alt="" class="wp-image-25345" style="width:141px;height:auto" srcset="https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/your_dna_family.png 600w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/your_dna_family-150x150.png 150w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/your_dna_family-300x300.png 300w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/your_dna_family-271x271.png 271w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/your_dna_family-372x372.png 372w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/your_dna_family-574x574.png 574w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px" /></figure>



This study combined data from 28 different cohorts. The result was a dataset of incredible scale, including 53,660 individuals with OCD and more than 2 million controls. Consented 23andMe research participants made up about half of the entire cohort in this study. This immense contribution, made possible by those who choose to participate in research, was critical to achieving the statistical power needed to make these new discoveries.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-the-study-found">What the Study Found</h2>



By scanning the genomes of millions of individuals, the researchers identified 30 independent genetic variants that were significantly associated with OCD. Of these 30 genetic variants, half are entirely new discoveries, while the others confirm and strengthen findings from previous, smaller studies. Researchers mapped these genetic variants to 25 genes that are likely impacted by those variants.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-zeroing-in-on-the-brain">Zeroing In on the Brain</h3>



Identifying the genes is just the first step. The next question is: where in the body do these genes do their work?



<figure class="wp-block-image alignleft size-full is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="438" height="458" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Brain-Logo.jpg" alt="Brain Logo" class="wp-image-22635" style="width:157px;height:auto" srcset="https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Brain-Logo.jpg 438w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Brain-Logo-287x300.jpg 287w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 438px) 100vw, 438px" /></figure>



To find out, the researchers performed tissue and single-cell enrichment analyses. The results were striking. The genetic signals for OCD were highly enriched in six different types of human brain tissue. In contrast, there was no enrichment found in tissues outside the brain.



The study drilled down even further, pinpointing specific cell types and found that these genes are at work in the same cells identified by neuroimaging and deep brain stimulation studies of OCD. By independently identifying these precise brain regions and cell types through genetics, this study provides additional supporting evidence that these genes and neurons play a direct role in the biology of OCD.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-shared-genetics">Shared Genetics</h3>



The study also investigated the genetic relationship between OCD and other psychiatric and behavioral conditions. The researchers found statistically significant positive genetic correlations between OCD and a range of other disorders, including anxiety, depression, anorexia nervosa, and Tourette syndrome



This finding reinforces a growing body of evidence that many psychiatric conditions, while appearing different on the surface, are likely to share some underlying genetic susceptibility factors. Understanding this genetic overlap may be key to understanding mental health as a whole.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-foundation-for-the-future">A Foundation for the Future</h2>



This study represents a pivotal moment for OCD research. By dramatically expanding the list of known genetic variants associated with OCD and grounding them in the specific biology of the brain, this work opens doors for researchers to explore the precise mechanisms by which these genes influence brain circuits and contribute to OCD symptoms.



Ultimately, these findings may be a critical step toward developing novel and more effective treatments for a disorder that has long been misunderstood.



And once again, we want to extend our deepest gratitude to 23andMe research participants. Your contribution to this landmark study has advanced our understanding of OCD and paved the way for a healthier future.

A Major Leap Forward in Understanding the Genetics of OCD

<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="693" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Group-125283-1-1024x693.png" alt="" class="wp-image-31016" srcset="https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Group-125283-1-1024x693.png 1024w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Group-125283-1-300x203.png 300w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Group-125283-1-768x520.png 768w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Group-125283-1-880x596.png 880w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Group-125283-1-1180x799.png 1180w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Corie Allessie, Erick Rodriguez, and Kim Gugliotta</figcaption></figure>



On January 1, many of us resolve to change our habits. We vow to move more, sit less, eat better, lose weight, spend wisely, call our mothers, or start a new hobby.&nbsp;



Setting New Year’s resolutions can be a valuable exercise:<a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/jclp.1151"> research</a> shows that the act of making them increases the likelihood of achieving change.



Whatever your goals are for the new year, here are three stories of 23andMe customers who made positive changes in their lives to inspire and motivate.



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-family-gets-healthy-with-some-help-from-mom"><a href="https://blog.23andme.com/articles/a-family-gets-healthy-with-some-help-from-mom" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">A Family Gets Healthy, with Some Help from Mom</a></h4>



<a href="https://blog.23andme.com/articles/a-family-gets-healthy-with-some-help-from-mom" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Corie Allessie</a>, a retired dental assistant and former Navy jet mechanic, has a few essential rules for healthy living.Never, ever eat in front of the television. Get up and get moving (winter is not an excuse). Prepare healthy food – especially vegetables – ahead of time. Minimize eating out. Walk whenever you can (her preferred walking partner is her 170-pound Saint Bernard, Pete). And keep yourself accountable by writing in a journal or sharing your goals with a friend or family member.



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-from-meat-and-potatoes-to-chicken-and-fish"><a href="https://blog.23andme.com/articles/healthier-every-day" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">From Meat and Potatoes to Chicken and Fish</a></h4>



<a href="https://blog.23andme.com/articles/healthier-every-day" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Erick Rodriguez</a>, a professional Jiu-Jitsu athlete in the Army reserves, grew up in the Midwest and never thought much about his diet. But the self-proclaimed “meat and potatoes guy” overhauled his lifestyle after learning he was at an increased likelihood of developing type 2 diabetes.



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-making-the-change"><a href="https://blog.23andme.com/articles/23andme-heart-health" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Making the Change</a></h4>



<a href="https://blog.23andme.com/articles/23andme-heart-health" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Kim Gugliotta</a> fills her plate with healthy foods like legumes, vegetables, chicken, fish, and tofu. She walks for at least 30 minutes a day. And she’s a regular on the pickleball courts of Ft. Lauderdale, Fl. 



But Kim wasn’t always so health conscious. Just a few years ago, she would have opted for “steak and cheeseburgers” and would have been tempted to skip her daily walk.

New Year, New You: Three Stories of Change

Corie Allessie, a retired dental assistant and former Navy jet mechanic, has a few essential rules for healthy living.



&nbsp;Never, ever eat in front of the television. Get up and get moving (winter is not an excuse). Prepare healthy food – especially vegetables – ahead of time. Minimize eating out. Walk whenever you can (her preferred walking partner is her 170-pound Saint Bernard, Pete). And keep yourself accountable, either by writing in a journal or sharing your goals with a friend or family member.



&nbsp;She came up with these guidelines after a 23andMe kit prompted a revaluation of her lifestyle.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="593" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/IMG_7765-e1651865945218-1024x593.jpg" alt="Corie and her daughter, Cassie" class="wp-image-29723" srcset="https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/IMG_7765-e1651865945218-1024x593.jpg 1024w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/IMG_7765-e1651865945218-300x174.jpg 300w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/IMG_7765-e1651865945218-768x445.jpg 768w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/IMG_7765-e1651865945218-880x510.jpg 880w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/IMG_7765-e1651865945218-1180x684.jpg 1180w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/IMG_7765-e1651865945218.jpg 1317w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Corie (left) with her daughter Cassie and her dog Pete </figcaption></figure>



<h6 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-an-honest-assessment">An honest assessment</h6>



Corie received 23andMe as a gift from her daughter and was excited to learn more about her genetics. As she waited for her results, she filled out several 23andMe <a href="https://customercare.23andme.com/hc/en-us/articles/212881977-23andMe-Research-Surveys-and-Questions">research questions</a> about her health.



&nbsp;The questions forced her to take an “honest look” at her choices and habits. “The questions really triggered something for me…maybe my weight gain wasn’t all about the COVID-19 pandemic; maybe it was about my low activity level or my eating patterns,” she said.



This reflection “sparked an interest in being more productive, active, and responsible for my health because what I do now will have an impact later on.”



&nbsp;So she decided to make changes and encouraged her family to do the same.



<h6 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-we-re-on-the-right-path">&#8220;We&#8217;re on the right path&#8221;</h6>



By following the simple principles outlined above, Corie, her husband, and her daughter have lost over 80 pounds combined. “My daughter is running on the treadmill,” she reported. “My husband is walking more. We’re on the right path.”



And the benefits extend far beyond the scale. She now has renewed energy to do what she loves – playing with her three grandchildren (“who needs a gym, just have grandchildren,” she quipped), and creative writing. She even wrote a poem about her 23andMe experience:



“It came as a gift, but it’s so much more.



It showed me my ancestors from a time before.



Through science, I am able to see,



Those whose DNA is shared with me.



I have a connection with people far and near,



It helped me change, and took away the fear.



Together with the knowledge of my ancestry,



I can make healthy choices.



Thank you, 23andMe!”

A Family Gets Healthy, with Some Help from Mom

23andMe Researchers analyzed weight measurements from 23andMe research participants in the weeks before, during, and after the Christmas holiday 2020. 
For many of us, holiday weight gain is just another end of year tradition. 
But this year&#8217;s seasonal celebrations, like many things in 2020, were different. 
23andMe scientists wanted to know whether the annual tradition of gaining a few pounds over the holiday was any different this year. 
To do this our scientists analyzed daily weight measurements from about 1,000 23andMe customers who consented to participate in research and connected their mobile health data (Apple® Health, Google FitTM) to the 23andMe mobile app. 
This is what we learned about weight trends between Dec 14 to Jan 3. 
&nbsp;

	<figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-style-default"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="449" src="https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Diet-Exercise-istock-1024x449.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-27549" srcset="https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Diet-Exercise-istock-1024x449.jpg 1024w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Diet-Exercise-istock-300x132.jpg 300w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Diet-Exercise-istock-768x337.jpg 768w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Diet-Exercise-istock-880x386.jpg 880w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Diet-Exercise-istock-1180x518.jpg 1180w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Diet-Exercise-istock.jpg 1545w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>
	
<h6>We avoid the scale on Christmas</h6>
Weigh-ins on Christmas day are lower compared to other days of the year, by about 15 percent.
It is easy to imagine why we might not step on the scale on Christmas: maybe we&#8217;re away from the scale and out of our normal routines, or we might just be trying to avoid receiving negative information. There’s a name for that, a behavioral phenomenon known as the <a href="https://effectiviology.com/ostrich-effect/">Ostrich effect</a>.  
<h6>On average people gain weight, but it&#8217;s not very much</h6>
In the days leading up to Christmas, weight measurements indicated that participants&#8217; weight was relatively stable during that time. But on the days following Christmas, the data indicate that participants put on weight, about half a pound on average. That means that overall among the research participants in the study, there was more weight gained than lost in the few days after Christmas. 
<h6>The holiday aftermath </h6>
It may be no surprise that we tend to gain weight over the holidays, but according to the data, it doesn&#8217;t stop at Christmas. 
Approximately half of the participants in the study (51 percent) showed an increase in weight during the week following Christmas, which includes New Year&#8217;s Day. Fifty-eight percent of males and 43 percent of females in the study logged weight increases during this week compared to their pre-Christmas weight. 
Weight increases seen after Christmas were moderate, around one or two pounds. Only a fraction of participants (about 18 percent) logged weight increases of two pounds or more. 
<h6>Closing the book on 2020 </h6>
All in all, the results of our analysis suggest that despite the chaos of 2020, the consequences of seasonal holiday indulgences seemed to continue as expected, although we may have tried to avoid them by not stepping on the scale. 
<h6>Getting ready for 2021</h6>
The new year is still young and it likely has a few more curveballs in store for us. But in terms of your health, 23andMe customers can start tracking data like steps, exercise, heart rate, and calories using the Lifestyle Dashboard in the 23andMe Apple and Android apps. To visit, look for the ‘Lifestyle Dashboard’ link on your app home tab, or under the health section. (Not yet a customer? Find out more <a href="https://www.23andme.com/compare-dna-tests/?sub=fyf">here</a>,) 
Because even if we can&#8217;t predict what 2021 will bring for us, at least we can track it. 
<hr />
Apple®, iPhone®, Apple Watch® are registered trademarks of Apple, Inc.
©2020 Google LLC All rights reserved. Google FitTM is a trademark of Google LLC.

Holiday Season Weight Trends 2020

By Stella Aslibekyan, Briana Cameron and Teresa Filshtein



A <a href="https://blog.23andme.com/23andme-research/23andme-explores-dietary-habit-and-health-outcomes/">recent 23andMe blog post</a> explored the old adage “you are what you eat,” examining the relationship between eating habits and their health outcomes.



However, we wanted to explore another dimension of the data. We wanted to see if where you live is associated with what you eat. So rather than looking at “you are what you eat,” we want to see whether “You eat where you are.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-dietary-geography">Dietary Geography</h2>



Years of scientific research have brought us to the almost undeniable conclusion that the food you eat affects health outcomes, especially later in life. However, dietary habits can be influenced by many different factors. Some of those factors include personal food preferences, local policy, availability of options, and cultural ones, like the habits of those around us. (See our new paper on <a href="https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.04.14.20058263v1">dietary habits research</a> and the sidebar to this post, &#8220;A New Recipe for Nutritional Studies.&#8221;)



<figure class="wp-block-image alignright size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="283" height="424" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/mediterranean-diet.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-17819" srcset="https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/mediterranean-diet.jpg 283w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/mediterranean-diet-200x300.jpg 200w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 283px) 100vw, 283px" /></figure>



Being aware of external factors influencing your dietary habits could be a first step to making changes that might reduce your risk of adverse health outcomes such as type 2 diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular events, accelerated aging, and more.[1] One external factor is location, as public health research has shown how “food deserts”&nbsp; — urban and rural neighborhoods without grocery stores — have contributed to poor health outcomes. At 23andMe, we have a unique opportunity to explore the connections between diet and geography.



Our scientists analyzed data from more than 750,000 23andMe customers who consented to participate in the research and shared details about their eating habits. Our results focused on four major food categories: vegetable and fruit intake, sugar intake (added sugar intake and sugar-sweetened beverages), red meat intake, and dairy intake. Vegetables, fruit, and dairy were measured in cups per day; sugar was measured in teaspoons per day, and red meat was measured in times eaten per day.



We found distinct differences in eating habits among broad regions in the United States and between urban and rural environments.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-dietary-habits-in-the-us">Dietary Habits in the US</h2>



The map clearly shows that people in the West and Northeast eat more fruit and vegetables, while those in the Central and Southern U.S. eat more sugar. Below are some nutrition maps across the U.S. Each map represents a visualization of self-reported consumption by county. In each map, red indicates consumption levels associated with BMI increases.



<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="376" data-id="30711" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Mean-Fruit-Map.png" alt="" class="wp-image-30711" srcset="https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Mean-Fruit-Map.png 512w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Mean-Fruit-Map-300x220.png 300w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">People in the West and Northeast consume more fruit.</figcaption></figure>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="512" height="376" data-id="30707" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Mean-Dairy-Map.png" alt="" class="wp-image-30707" srcset="https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Mean-Dairy-Map.png 512w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Mean-Dairy-Map-300x220.png 300w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">The Northern US consumes greater amounts of dairy than the Southern half, with the highest consumption in the northern Central region. </figcaption></figure>
</figure>



The maps represent the average self-reported consumption of each dietary factor at the county level; counties with less than 5 participants were not evaluated and show up in white on the map to protect our participants&#8217; privacy. 



<figure class="wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default 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="512" height="376" data-id="30706" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Mean-Vegetables-1.png" alt="" class="wp-image-30706" srcset="https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Mean-Vegetables-1.png 512w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Mean-Vegetables-1-300x220.png 300w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">People in the West and Northeast also eat more vegetables.</figcaption></figure>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="512" height="376" data-id="30709" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Mean-Sugar.png" alt="" class="wp-image-30709" srcset="https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Mean-Sugar.png 512w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Mean-Sugar-300x220.png 300w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Sugar consumption in the US followed a pattern opposite to that of vegetables and fruits, with the highest consumption occurring in the Central and Southern parts of the country. </figcaption></figure>
</figure>



Each map is scaled such that the color shift occurs at the median. Gradients within color are based on quantiles, so extremes (bottom and top 5 percent of the population) are darkest.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-rural-effect-nbsp">The Rural Effect&nbsp;</h2>



<div style="float: right; text-align: justified; width: 300px; background-color: #eee; padding: 10px; margin-left: 15px;">
A New Recipe for Nutritional Studies
Something so elemental as food shouldn’t be so complicated. Still, it is often confusing to scan through the conflicting coverage about what is and what isn’t healthy to eat.
<code style="display: none;"></code>Is sugar toxic? Is coffee good or bad for you? And what about red meat and eggs?
<code style="display: none;"></code><a href=" https://newsinhealth.nih.gov/2017/05/how-your-eating-habits-affect-your-health">Diet and nutrition are </a><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/13/opinion/diet-research-nutrition.html">difficult to study.</a> But studying what we consume is critical for understanding because of how and what we eat impacts our health. This understanding is especially true as the implications of diet-related conditions like obesity, Type 2 diabetes, and heart disease rise to epidemic proportions. That’s what makes nutritional studies — as well as better ways of powering those studies — so critical.
<code style="display: none;"></code>This week, 23andMe <a href="https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.04.14.20058263v1">published a paper</a> describing our unique approach to these kinds of <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/medicine-and-dentistry/observational-study">observational studies</a>, which make up a cornerstone of nutrition research. With millions of individuals who have consented to participate in research and answer questions about their daily eating habits, 23andMe’s can quickly collect nutritional information in real-time.
<code style="display: none;"></code>Using this data with other health-related information can help inform studies that look at the impact of different diets on different populations, identify trends, and spot correlations. For example, we’ve spotted seasonal dietary changes, differences in diet between men and women, and people of different age groups. We’ve also looked at correlations between different kinds of diets and exercise frequency.
<code style="display: none;"></code>Most recently our researchers looked at geographic differences in the United States and diet. This helped illuminate not just the differences in diet between urban and rural populations but also the differences in lifestyles between these communities. Looking at these different types of data in different ways allows scientists to explore the complicated relationship between diet, lifestyle, and health.
<code style="display: none;"></code>In our<a href="https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.04.14.20058263v1"> new paper</a>, we demonstrate 23andMe&#8217;s ability to quickly and contemporaneously collect nutritional data for fast assessment of trends. We can do this much faster and at a much larger scale than traditional approaches like those of the CDC’s National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nhanes/index.htm">NHANES</a>).
<code style="display: none;"></code>“23andMe created an opportunity for very large, rapid-scale, and real-time data collection, which may inform national nutritional trends and future epidemiologic studies in a much shorter time frame than ever before,” said Stella Aslibekyan, Ph.D., a co-author of the paper and Senior Scientist at 23andMe.
<code style="display: none;"></code>Although 23andMe customers are not exactly representative of the population as a whole, as 23andMe grows and diversifies, findings drawn from this data will be more applicable to the population as a whole. The next step will be adding genetic data and this, in turn, will help in learning more about how genetics and changes in dietary habits and lifestyle can improve health and prevent chronic disease.
</div>



In addition to exploring nutritional habits by county, we also looked at the effect of living in a rural vs. urban setting on dietary habits. After adjusting for age, sex, and BMI, we saw whether you lived in a rural vs urban setting[2], which was highly associated with dietary habits across all four food types we considered. Participants living in rural environments were likelier to consume added sugar, dairy, and red meat, whereas urban participants ate more fruits and vegetables.



This difference in dietary behavior (i.e., the &#8216;&#8221;rural effect&#8217;”) is equivalent in magnitude to the increase in sugar-sweetened beverages associated with a 14-point increase in BMI in males and a 10-point BMI increase in females. Even more striking is the association with added sugar; the rural effect is equivalent to a 19-point increase in BMI in males and an 11-point increase in females. The BMI equivalence of the rural effect on red meat is 6 and 9 BMI points in males and females, respectively,&nbsp; and dairy consumption is 13 and 7 points for males and females. The rural effect was more pronounced in men than in women for the dairy and sugar domains and was more robust in women for red meat. (See Figure 2 for a graphical display of these results.)



<figure class="wp-block-image alignright"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="300" height="239" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/BMI-Table-300x239-1.png" alt="" class="wp-image-30768"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption"> Figure 2: BMI equivalence of the rural effect. Figure 2 represents the average effect of moving from an urban setting to a rural setting associated with each nutritional domain, in terms of BMI points, for a 50-year-old individual. Specifically, for an urban-dwelling male (female) age 50, each line segment represents the equivalent BMI points associated with moving to a rural setting (SSB = sugar-sweetened beverages).&nbsp;</figcaption></figure>



While these results may seem counterintuitive, as rural settings are often where food that feeds the country is grown, studies have shown that people in these settings usually have limited access to healthy food choices. In fact, many rural communities rely on convenience stores for their food, which often offer little to no healthy options.<a id="a3" href="#f3">[3]</a> In addition, education on nutrition and funding for nutrition programs in rural schools also appears to be limited.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-discussion-nbsp">Discussion&nbsp;</h2>



23andMe’s extensive database of self-reported dietary habits allows one to study the individual and geographic factors that influence what we eat. While factors such as sex, age, and BMI can impact our nutritional habits, where you live can also be an essential contributor to your diet. Visualizations of self-reported consumption by county show striking spatial patterns across the US. Our data also suggest that living in an urban vs. rural environment can impact diet. Participants living in rural environments were likelier to consume added sugar, dairy, and red meat, whereas urban participants ate more fruits and vegetables. Good nutrition is a critical component of leading a healthy lifestyle and understanding dietary differences between urban and rural environments may potentially help address the noted health gap between urban and rural America (<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/ruralhealth/cause-of-death.html">CDC source</a>).



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-footnotes">Footnotes:</h2>



 <a id="f1" href="#a1">[1]</a> &#8220;<a href="https://newsinhealth.nih.gov/2017/05/how-your-eating-habits-affect-your-health">How Your Eating Habits Affect Your Health | NIH News in Health</a>.&#8221; Accessed 26 Aug. 2019.



<footer class="footnotes"><code style="display: none;"> 
</code><code style="display: none;"> 
</code><a id="f2" href="#a2">[2]</a> USDA Rural-Urban continuum codes were used to classify participants as living in an urban or rural setting based on reported zip code (<a href="https://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/rural-urban-continuum-codes/">source</a>)</footer>



<footer class="footnotes"><code style="display: none;"> 
</code><code style="display: none;"></code> <a id="f3" href="#a3">[3]</a> Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity in Rural America</footer>



<footer class="footnotes"><code style="display: none;"> 
</code><code style="display: none;"><code style="display: none;"></code></code>
&nbsp;
</footer>

23andMe Maps the Way We Eat 

<div id="attachment_28185" style="width: 177px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-28185" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/mary-kay-2-e1585606326522.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-28185 size-medium" width="167" height="300" srcset="https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/mary-kay-2-e1585606326522.jpg 773w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/mary-kay-2-e1585606326522-167x300.jpg 167w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/mary-kay-2-e1585606326522-569x1024.jpg 569w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/mary-kay-2-e1585606326522-768x1383.jpg 768w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/mary-kay-2-e1585606326522-489x880.jpg 489w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/mary-kay-2-e1585606326522-655x1180.jpg 655w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 167px) 100vw, 167px" />Mary taking her &#8220;after&#8221; photo.</div>
Like a lot of people, Mary struggled to lose weight. Over the years, she tried but failed to take off the pounds, and it made her wonder whether genetics was playing a role. After all, she had a family history of obesity. 
That’s, in part, what propelled her to purchase a 23andMe DNA test. She wanted to explore how her genetics may be impacting her health. 
What she learned surprised her, and it inspired her to take action, not just for her health but to connect with her newfound family.
“I found out it wasn’t genetics,” Mary said, laughing.
At least, her 23andMe Genetic Weight report indicated that she wasn’t genetically predisposed to weigh above average. Ironically it was seeing that information that prodded her to act. 
“I knew it was up to me,” she said.
Mary began prioritizing her health. She started a new, low-carbohydrate diet. Ultimately the new diet and focus helped Mary finally lose 80 pounds. 
“Three of my sisters and I all went on the same low-carb diet,” she said. 
They all lost weight. 
Then her story took another exciting turn. 
Mary had opted-into DNA Relatives, a feature that matches you with other customers with whom you share DNA. Long after she first tested, Mary noticed in her DNA Relative matches a predicted niece and a predicted nephew, who she didn’t know. Mary remembered that both of her sisters had given up children decades ago. As soon as she saw the profile photo of her niece, Ann, she knew Ann was her younger sister’s child. 
“Ann looked exactly like my sister,” Mary said.
Mary also matched with a nephew, James, a few weeks later. James was another sister’s child, adopted years earlier. Mary connected with both Ann and James, happy to share family information with them.
Ann revealed that she too had joined 23andMe not necessarily for ancestry but for the health reports. Adopted at a young age and now in her 40s, Ann didn’t have a family health history to rely on. Mary shared important information about the family’s health, including the fact that several family members had died at a young age from heart disease. Ann was relieved to have a fuller picture of her family’s health history.
Ann also mentioned that she would like the opportunity to get to know her birth mother, Mary’s sister. 
“I’m not looking to disrupt her life, but I want her to know I appreciate what she did for me because I had an awesome family,” Ann told Mary.
Mary put Ann in touch with her sister. Last year on Mother’s Day, mother and daughter spoke on the phone together for the first time. They were thrilled to connect.
Mary said she has her grandmother to thank for that because it was her grandmother who helped trigger her interest in genetics. Born in the 1890s, her grandmother was ahead of her time, interested in education, learning, and her family’s history, especially their family health history. 
“Her handwritten family tree included notes about illnesses, and included a note that said ‘lots of obesity in this branch,’” Mary said. “That’s what prompted me to do the DNA test.”
Her grandmother thought that at some time in the future science would advance to the point that this information would be helpful to future generations. It has been for Mary and the new family she’s connected with. 
Spurred by her personal fascination with genetics, Mary sees her 23andMe report — and the new updates that have continued to come out of it — as valuable information that has helped her and her family to lead healthier, more fulfilling lives.

Health Inspiration

This past week we&#8217;re continuing to read about the response to the coronavirus, and the efforts to develop a vaccine. But that intense focus hasn&#8217;t been to the exclusion of other interesting articles in our reading list this week. So here is what we&#8217;re reading.
<h2>Wash Your Hands</h2>
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-28040" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/CDC-Image-of-Coronavirus-300x168.png" alt="" width="300" height="168" srcset="https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/CDC-Image-of-Coronavirus-300x168.png 300w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/CDC-Image-of-Coronavirus.png 512w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />More on the <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/world/asia/china-coronavirus-contain.html?action=click&amp;pgtype=Article&amp;state=default&amp;module=styln-coronavirus&amp;variant=show&amp;region=TOP_BANNER&amp;context=storyline_menu">coronavirus</a> — estimates are that China has now imposed travel restrictions on more than <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/18/world/asia/china-coronavirus.html?action=click&amp;module=Top%20Stories&amp;pgtype=Homepage">10 percent of its population</a>! The outbreak has sharpened our focus on the public health response, as well as the need for rapid research required to create an effective vaccine. In the meantime, we are all becoming a little more diligent about things like washing your hands. On that note, here&#8217;s an illustration of the most often missed areas when washing your hands.
<h2>Glass Houses</h2>
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-28039" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Real-Life-Book-Image-191x300.jpg" alt="" width="191" height="300" srcset="https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Real-Life-Book-Image-191x300.jpg 191w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Real-Life-Book-Image.jpg 318w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 191px) 100vw, 191px" />We often believe that working in the sciences is somehow more progressive than working in other fields. Still, Brandon Taylor&#8217;s book Real Life offers <a href="https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/brandontaylor/i-dont-miss-being-a-scientist-except-when-i-do">a different point of view</a>. As a gay black man, he often felt isolated, silenced and marginalized. &#8220;Science was the constant humiliation of wondering if I had justified my presence,&#8221; Tayor writes in this Buzzfeed piece. He wondered if he had &#8220;made it harder for the next black person to get admitted.&#8221; Ultimately it&#8217;s what drove him from the field.
<h2>The Food We Eat</h2>
We eat <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/food/2020/feb/13/how-ultra-processed-food-took-over-your-shopping-basket-brazil-carlos-monteiro">a lot of junk</a>, and that may explain why we&#8217;re getting so fat. We&#8217;re not just consuming processed food loaded with sugar, salt, and fat, but what are called &#8220;ultra-processed foods.&#8221; These are &#8220;foods&#8221; are what the Guardian calls &#8220;concoctions of concoctions&#8221; that resemble food. According to this Guardian story, now more than half the calories consumed in the United States and the UK are made up of these ultra-processed foods. Makes us think that <a href="https://michaelpollan.com/books/">Michael Pollan&#8217;s</a> diet advice, &#8220;Eat food, not too much, mostly plants.&#8221; And when he says &#8220;food&#8221; he means real food, not processed stuff.
<h2>Heavy</h2>
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-28041" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Tommy-Tomlinsons-Book-197x300.png" alt="" width="197" height="300" srcset="https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Tommy-Tomlinsons-Book-197x300.png 197w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Tommy-Tomlinsons-Book-768x1169.png 768w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Tommy-Tomlinsons-Book-673x1024.png 673w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Tommy-Tomlinsons-Book-578x880.png 578w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Tommy-Tomlinsons-Book-775x1180.png 775w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Tommy-Tomlinsons-Book.png 800w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 197px) 100vw, 197px" />It would all be so simple if we ate less and made better food choices, but it&#8217;s not so simple. There&#8217;s much more involved in what drives people to eat the way they do. We wish more people had read Tommy Tomlinson&#8217;s 2019 book, &#8220;<a href="https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-Elephant-in-the-Room/Tommy-Tomlinson/9781501111617">The Elephant in the Room, One Fat Man&#8217;s Quest to Get Smaller in a Growing America</a>.&#8221; A great writer and one-time finalist for a Pulitzer Prize, Tomlinson brings his story and a lot of humanity to the struggles of people trying to lose weight and improve their health. Helping people to make those changes requires a more profound understanding, or we&#8217;ll never deal with the looming obesity crisis. &#8220;What I want you to understand, more than anything else, is that telling a fat person to &#8216;eat less and exercise&#8217; is like telling a boxer, &#8220;Don&#8217;t get hit,&#8221; Tomlinson writes. Understanding the emotional and psychological hurdles people often need to clear before taking the actions they already know they need to take to be healthy is essential. Tomlinson&#8217;s writing brings that home, just as he vividly describes his weight&#8217;s toll on his body. Read his book, now in paperback, or at least read the piece he wrote last year for the <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2019/01/weight-loss-essay-tomlinson/579832/">Atlantic</a>.
<h2></h2>
<h2>Ghost in the Machine</h2>
More good stuff on <a href="https://www.discovermagazine.com/planet-earth/genetic-traces-of-mysterious-human-lineage-detected-in-people-living-in">Ghost DNA</a> finding but no name for this ancient human cousin until we get the bones. Scientists found <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/12/science/west-africa-ancient-humans.html">evidence of these ancient human cousins</a> in the DNA of modern living humans in West Africa. What we are learning is that it wasn&#8217;t just <a href="https://www.the-scientist.com/features/neanderthal-dna-in-modern-human-genomes-is-not-silent-66299">Neanderthals, </a>or <a href="https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2019/09/ancient-dna-puts-face-mysterious-denisovans-extinct-cousins-neanderthals">Denisovans</a>, or even <a href="https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/2018/08/news-homo-floresiensis-hobbit-genetics-dna-pygmy-flores-island/">Hobbits</a>, that interbred with early modern humans. Our ancestors were also mixing with other as <a href="https://theconversation.com/early-humans-in-africa-may-have-interbred-with-a-mysterious-extinct-species-new-research-131699">yet unidentified ancient human cousins</a>.

Junk Food, Viruses, and Ghosts — What We’re Reading This Week

Every year, millions of us make New Year&#8217;s resolutions to improve our health. We pledge to eat better, go to bed earlier, or exercise more. And every year, most of us don’t follow through and make those healthy behavior changes. Typically, we&#8217;re giving up on our resolutions right about now.<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignright wp-image-27549 size-medium" title="Healthy Behavior change" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Diet-Exercise-istock-300x132.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="132" srcset="https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Diet-Exercise-istock-300x132.jpg 300w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Diet-Exercise-istock-768x337.jpg 768w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Diet-Exercise-istock-1024x449.jpg 1024w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Diet-Exercise-istock-880x386.jpg 880w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Diet-Exercise-istock-1180x518.jpg 1180w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Diet-Exercise-istock.jpg 1545w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />
We start with great intentions, but most of us soon abandon them by the middle of February, according to the U.S. News &amp; World Report. It’s not because we don’t want to change. Many of us simply don’t know how to stick to it.
But what if we didn&#8217;t quit? What if we found a way to make resolutions around our health that we could stick to?

<h2>Small Changes with Big Health Results</h2>
A <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosmedicine/article?id=10.1371/journal.pmed.1002981">recent study</a> revealed that a few simple changes to eating habits in the United States could save more than $50 billion yearly in treatment costs for cardiovascular disease and diabetes. If a mere 1 percent of smokers on Medicaid quit smoking, it’d save the program $2.6 billion each year, according to <a href="https://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/news/medicaid-could-save-26-billion-within-year-if-just-1-percent-recipients-quit-smoking">research by UCSF</a>. If half of those smokers quit, annual savings would jump to $130 billion.
The lives saved by that kind of change are much more important than the money.
So how do we do it? How do we make clear, concrete and achievable health resolutions and stick to them?
<h2>Factors for Successful Healthy Behavior Change</h2>
From experience, most of us know what doesn’t work: we usually fail on resolutions that are too broad and impersonal or if we make resolutions that are too far beyond what is immediately possible. Intentions are important, but to make changes to improve our health, we need to set clear, precise, and achievable resolutions and find tools to help us get there.
At 23andMe, we’ve been studying genes and genetic variants associated with various health conditions and the actions people can take to improve their health. We’re seeing that learning about your genetics when combined with informed action, makes a potent recipe for positive change.
For the last four years, researchers at 23andMe have been looking at data around New Year&#8217;s Resolutions that are focused on improving one’s health. This work has informed some of what we’ve <a href="https://blog.23andme.com/23andme-research/genes-and-behaviors-associated-with-new-years-resolutions/">learned</a> about how your <a href="https://blog.23andme.com/23andme-research/data-shows-your-gender-diet-and-age-all-impact-exercise-frequency/">age,</a> where you live, and your genetics may influence whether you make resolutions and follow through with them. This yearly study has raised many new questions, not just about who makes and keeps resolutions but about what helps them actually reach their health goals.
<h2>More Data Needed<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignright wp-image-27607 size-medium" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/social-300x164.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="164" srcset="https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/social-300x164.jpg 300w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/social-768x419.jpg 768w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/social-1024x558.jpg 1024w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/social-880x480.jpg 880w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/social-1180x643.jpg 1180w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/social-271x149.jpg 271w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/social-372x204.jpg 372w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/social-574x315.jpg 574w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/social-980x539.jpg 980w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/social.jpg 1222w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></h2>
We want to know more, so we’re also looking at other data about healthy behavior change. We want to know whether some customers are already primed and ready to take action or whether there is something about our personalized health reports that nudges them toward <a href="https://blog.23andme.com/for-scientists/tipping-scales-participants-make-healthy-dietary-changes-response-direct-consumer-genetic-test-results/">healthier behaviors.</a>  We have some data indicating that <a href="https://blog.23andme.com/23andme-research/survey-finds-23andme-customers-make-positive-changes-to-their-health/">it may,</a> but we need to learn more.
This is important because influencing positive healthy behavior could have a big impact on public health. In the United States, we’re very good at monetizing illness, but not so good at prevention. We know a lot about developing drugs and marketing treatments for chronic conditions like Type 2 Diabetes and cardiovascular disease, but we haven’t figured out how to help people take actions that could stop them from developing in those conditions in the first place.
By 2030, the CDC predicts, the annual cost of cardiovascular disease in the US, in health care expenses and lost productivity, will exceed $1 trillion. Projections suggest that by <a href="https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMsa1909301?utm_source=STAT+Newsletters&amp;utm_campaign=4c3a6aae08-MR_COPY_12&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_term=0_8cab1d7961-4c3a6aae08-129845433">2030 half the U.S. population will be obes</a>e. The associated health impacts will be devastating. And yet, we know this is preventable with simple lifestyle changes.
The challenge is how to help people make lasting changes to improve their health.

23andMe Studies Healthy Behavior Change

A new survey of 23andMe’s <a href="https://www.23andme.com/dna-health-ancestry/">Health + Ancestry</a> customers conducted by M/A/R/C® Research found that more than three-quarters reported that after receiving their personalized genetic reports they made at least one positive change in their health behavior.
Changes included eating healthier, getting more sleep, and exercising more, among others.
“We’re encouraged by these preliminary findings, and they&#8217;ve spurred us to embark on more comprehensive research into behavior change as a result of our service,” said Joyce Tung, 23andMe’s Vice President for Research. “We have heard from many customers who have offered stories about how their 23andMe results have positively impacted their lives, but we want more quantitative data.”

<h6>Taking Steps to Improve Health<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignright wp-image-27606" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/CI_Infographic_final-11-267x1024.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="1151" srcset="https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/CI_Infographic_final-11-267x1024.jpg 267w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/CI_Infographic_final-11-78x300.jpg 78w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/CI_Infographic_final-11-768x2947.jpg 768w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/CI_Infographic_final-11-229x880.jpg 229w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/CI_Infographic_final-11-scaled.jpg 667w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></h6>
Sleep, diet and exercise are key to good health, so understanding what might motivate people to make meaningful and positive changes is important. Two years ago, 23andMe researchers<a href="https://research.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/23andMe_ASHG_2017_Sarah.pdf"> presented data</a> at the annual meeting of the American Society of Human Genetics, showing that after viewing their 23andMe Saturated Fat and Weight report, customers reported making healthier dietary choices.
In this new survey, external researchers asked Health + Ancestry customers about the overall impact of their 23andMe experience, regardless of their results. Among those who responded to the survey 76 percent said they made one or more healthy changes to their lifestyles. Of those who responded to the survey:
<ul>
<li> 55 percent reported healthier eating habits including eating more vegetables, and cutting out sugar and fast food.</li>
<li> 45 percent said they were exercising more.</li>
<li> 42 percent said they were getting more sleep. </li>
</ul>
<h6>The Survey</h6>
The survey, designed by 23andMe and M/A/R/C Research, and conducted online by M/A/R/C over two weeks in August 2019, included responses from 1,046 23andMe Health + Ancestry customers who have joined within the past two years.
While the responses are not representative of the US general population as a whole, they do offer preliminary insights worth studying further to gauge the impact of  23andMe results as a motivator for healthy behavior change.
<h6>Impact of Genetic Testing</h6>
There have been several other studies that have looked at the impact of genetic testing. Among the most notable has been the on-going work of the Impact of Personal Genomics Study (PGen), a collaborative effort led by scientists from  the Broad Institute of MIT, Harvard Medical School, and Brigham and Women’s Hospital.
The group’s 2017 study, “<a href="https://bmcmedgenomics.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12920-017-0258-1">Diet and exercise changes following direct-to-consumer personal genomic testing</a>,” looked at both 23andMe and Pathway Genomics customers and found “30 percent of participants reported making a change to their diet that was specifically motivated by their (personal genetic testing) results, and 26 percent reported changing their exercise based on their (personal genetic testing) results.”
Other studies have shown much more mixed results, including a study from 2011 by researchers at the Scripps Translational Science Institute &amp; Scripps Health, which found<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22199991"> minimal impact</a> either way changing behavior.
<h6>More Questions</h6>
An interesting difference between those previous studies is that they drew from customers who received an older version of 23andMe’s reports. This new survey is of customers who had access to FDA-authorized health reports. Part of the FDA’s evaluation of those reports focused on user comprehension. 23andMe was able to show that more than 90 percent of those who read the reports were able to understand the key concepts in the reports. This survey however doesn’t offer any insight into whether the difference between the old and new reports has an impact on customers’ behavior.
There are many questions raised by the survey that 23andMe researchers would like to explore further. The paramount question they would like to address is whether this survey is capturing the sentiment of a more engaged health customer, or whether the nature of 23andMe personalized genetic reports motivates positive change. But the survey results offer an intriguing first step in learning more about improving health behavior for 23andMe customers.
23andMe researchers hope to conduct follow-up studies to more rigorously measure factors related to behavior change, better establish attribution, and increase generalizability to the broader customer base. Eventually researchers hope to submit their findings for peer review and publication.

Health Change Survey

By Rafaela Bagur Quetglas, PhD
It turns out your age, gender and diet all affect how often you exercise, according to new data from 23andMe.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-medium wp-image-27549 alignright" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Diet-Exercise-istock-300x132.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="132" srcset="https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Diet-Exercise-istock-300x132.jpg 300w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Diet-Exercise-istock-768x337.jpg 768w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Diet-Exercise-istock-1024x449.jpg 1024w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Diet-Exercise-istock-880x386.jpg 880w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Diet-Exercise-istock-1180x518.jpg 1180w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Diet-Exercise-istock.jpg 1545w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />
As part of our ongoing health research, 23andMe’s scientists looked at whether a person’s age, gender, or diet might be associated with exercise. Understanding the relationship between those factors may help in our understanding of contributors to maintaining a healthy weight. Our scientists analyzed the data of more than 850,000 people who consented to participate in research and who shared details about their own eating and exercise habits. 
<h2>Age Matters</h2>
Are people over 30 more sedentary than people under 30? Among 23andMe participants, the answer is yes! The percent of people who don&#8217;t exercise for 30 minutes or more at least once a week increases with age. (Figure 1, left panel) We also observed a decrease in the percent of people who exercise once or twice a week over age 45.
Interestingly, the percentage of people who reported exercising three or four times a week is constant, independent of the participants&#8217; age. This suggests that at least among some of the most active individuals, age doesn’t matter.
Another surprise is that the relationship between how often we exercise and our BMI is different depending on our age (Figure 1, right panel). In general, the more active you are, the lower your BMI. But the difference in BMI between sedentary and physically active people is bigger for adults over 30 than it is for adults under 30. In fact, this difference seems to increase with age until about 60.
This could reflect a cumulative effect rather than the effect of exercise at a particular age. Epidemiologic studies have shown that on average we gain 1-2 lbs per year from early adulthood through middle age [1]. However, one could hypothesize that the weight gain per year might depend on exercise frequency, thus resulting in a difference of weight between sedentary and physically active people dependent on age. This is not the only possible explanation since multiple lifestyle factors that influence weight are affected by aging such as our metabolism, physical activity baseline or even sleep duration. Although the main explanation behind this result isn&#8217;t perfectly clear, what is well-known are the health benefits of exercising at any age [2][3].
<div id="attachment_27543" style="width: 522px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-27543" class="wp-image-27543 size-full" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Figure-1-Exercise-BMI.png" alt="" width="512" height="150" srcset="https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Figure-1-Exercise-BMI.png 512w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Figure-1-Exercise-BMI-300x88.png 300w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px" />Figure 1. Left graph represents the percent of participants who exercise for at least 30 min, from zero times per week to daily, broken down by age. Right graph shows the difference in BMI between sedentary participants and those exercising from at least one time a week to multiple times a day, also broken down by age.</div>
<h2>Exercise and BMI Differences between Men and Women</h2>
Who exercises more, men or women?
On average we found that men in our study tend to be more active than women. Only 12% of men that participated in this research reported to be sedentary, while in women this number was up to 16%. However, the relationship between exercise frequency and gender gets more complex when we break the participants answers down by age. Women under 30 were more likely to report exercising less than twice per week, and they were less likely than men to report exercising five or more times per week (Figure 2). But, this difference in exercise frequency between men and women shrinks with age. In fact, the exercise pattern over age 45 is fairly similar between men and women.
Physical activity was not the only difference between genders.
We found that the difference in BMI between people who exercise and people who are sedentary is higher in women than in men. For instance women of average height (5 feet 4 inches) who exercises 5-7 times per week for at least 30 minutes weight on average 37.5 lbs less than sedentary women of the same age and height. In men this difference in weight is smaller than that observed in women. Men of average height (5 feet 9 inches) exercising 5-7 times per week tend to weigh on average 26.5 lbs less than sedentary men of the same age and height.
It’s important to highlight that BMI is a measure of weight adjusted for height, but it doesn’t take body composition into account. So, higher BMI doesn’t necessarily mean higher fat composition. Athletic people are more likely to have higher bone density and muscular mass, and therefore a higher BMI than sedentary people. Therefore, it might be plausible that the gender-specific difference in BMI between sedentary and athletic people is influenced by men’s testosterone levels, which increase their capacity to build more <a href="https://www.23andme.com/topics/wellness/muscle-composition">muscle mass</a> on average than women [4]. Building muscle mass is also influenced by the type of exercise (e.g., strengthening vs. aerobic), which wasn&#8217;t considered in this analysis.
<div id="attachment_27544" style="width: 522px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-27544" class="wp-image-27544 size-full" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Figure-2-Expercise-Frequency.png" alt="" width="512" height="155" srcset="https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Figure-2-Expercise-Frequency.png 512w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Figure-2-Expercise-Frequency-300x91.png 300w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px" />Figure 2. Barcharts represents the percent of participants divided by gender. These seoarated exercise for at least 30 min from zero times per week to daily at the age of under 30 (left) or between 45 and 60 (right). The line chart shows the difference in BMI between participants (divided by gender) exercising at least one time a week compared to sedentary.</div>
<h2>Diet and Exercise</h2>
It’s clear that your diet has an impact on your weight, but does what you eat indicate how active you are?
In turns out that it does, or at least we see an association between diet and exercise. It’s important to note that an association does not mean causation. At the same time it’s worth exploring how diet and exercise are related.
In a previous <a href="https://blog.23andme.com/23andme-research/23andme-explores-dietary-habit-and-health-outcomes/">blog post</a>, we identified four different diet groups (Figure 3) in the 23andMe community. We also identified the major traits associated with the groups. These diet groups were mainly characterized by two dietary behaviors: the nutrient content of the food eaten and meat intake.
Using these two behaviors as axes, we can plot the four main diet groups.
<ul>
<li>On one end, we find people who eat high nutrient-dense (HND) foods. These include vegetables,  leafy greens and fruits. These individuals also tend to avoid high caloric foods with low nutrient content. These foods include  foods with refined carbs, or processed foods, or foods with saturated fats or fast food. Depending on their meat intake, these people can either be classified as HND + Carnivores (high meat intake) or Herbivores (low meat intake).</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>On the other end, we find people with a diet low in vegetables, leafy greens and fruits. They tend to eat more high calorie foods with low nutrient content, low nutrient-dense foods (LND). People in this group also tend to eat more meat, particularly processed and red meat (LND + Carnivores).</li>
<li>Finally, the people in the middle we called Omnivores because they ate a little of everything.</li>
</ul>
<div id="attachment_27545" style="width: 522px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-27545" class="wp-image-27545 size-full" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Figure-3-Diet-groups.png" alt="" width="512" height="155" srcset="https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Figure-3-Diet-groups.png 512w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Figure-3-Diet-groups-300x91.png 300w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px" />Figure 3. Left graph represents the four defined diets projected in the two main behaviors axis (nutrient content of foods and meat intake). Right panel describes the nutritional differences between these diets. The dots represent the average response to the survey question: “How frequently do you eat this food?” Possible responses were: “not at all” (all dots empty), “1-2 times per week” (one filled dot), “3-6 times per week” (two filled dots), “once per day” (three filled dots) or “more than once a day” (all dots filled).</div>
We looked at the amount of exercise in a typical week. Then we broke that down by participants&#8217; diet groups. We observed that people in the Herbivore and HND + Carnivore groups exercise more often than people in the Omnivores and LND + Carnivore groups. (Figure 4) What’s more, people in the Herbivore group have on average a lower BMI than people of the same age in any other diet group. Although weight tends to increase through midlife, the relationship between what we eat and how much we exercise is fairly consistent, regardless of our age.
<div id="attachment_27546" style="width: 522px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-27546" class="wp-image-27546 size-full" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Figure-4-Age.png" alt="" width="512" height="178" srcset="https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Figure-4-Age.png 512w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Figure-4-Age-300x104.png 300w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px" />Figure 4. Barchart representing the average amount of exercise per week that participants belonging to different diets and age groups present. Right plot shows the average BMI associated to participants that belong to different diets and age groups.</div>
<h2>The Takeaway</h2>
In this study, we observed differences in physical activity in the 23andMe research community broken down by age, sex, and diet behaviors. Our scientists showed that the relationship between exercise and BMI strongly depend on people’s age and gender. Moreover, people’s nutrition habits is highly associated with exercise frequency. So that people who eat high nutrient dense foods are also likely to exercise more.
We would like to thank the 23andMe customers who made this study possible by participating in research.
Rafaela Bagur Quetglas is a Data Scientist in Health Research and Development at 23andMe.
<hr />
<h6>Footnotes:</h6>
[1] Hutfless S. et al., (2013) Strategies to Prevent Weight Gain Among Adults. Rockville (MD): Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (US); Report No.: 13-EHC029-EF.
[2] Donald  M. Lyall et al., (2017) Association of Body Mass Index With Cardiometabolic Disease in the UK Biobank: A Mendelian Randomization Study. JAMA Cardiol. 10.1001/jamacardio.2016.5804
[3] Bhaskaran K. et al., (2014) Body-mass index and risk of 22 specific cancers: a population-based cohort study of 5·24 million UK adults. Lancet. 10.1016/S0140-6736(14)60892-8
[4] Janssen I, et al., (2000) Skeletal muscle mass and distribution in 468 men and women aged 18–88 yr J Appl Physiol. 10.1152/jappl.2000.89.1.81

Data Shows Your Gender, Diet and Age All Impact Exercise Frequency

By Rafaela Bagur Quetglas, PhD



<figure class="wp-block-image alignright"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="350" height="257" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/foodchoicesna.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-10396" srcset="https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/foodchoicesna.jpg 350w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/foodchoicesna-300x220.jpg 300w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 350px) 100vw, 350px" /></figure>



You are what you eat, is the old adage, but what does your diet actually say about you? 



23andMe has a unique opportunity to explore that question, as we investigate how dietary habits, along with genetics, demographics, lifestyle and other data can influence overall health outcomes.







Looking at diet specifically, our scientists analyzed the data of more than 850,000 people who consented to participate in research and who shared details about their own eating habits.&nbsp;



Using machine learning techniques* we were able to see that dietary choices clustered into four distinct types of eaters, which were mainly characterized by two dietary behaviors. The first one represents the spectrum of foods’ nutrient content from high nutrient-dense foods (i.e. low caloric foods with high nutrient content like vegetables, leafy greens, fruit, beans or whole-grains) to low nutrient-dense foods (i.e. high caloric foods with low nutrient content like. processed foods, sweets, sodas, pastries, saturated fats or&nbsp; fast food). The second main behavior differentiating diet groups is the meat intake, in particular, red and processed meat (e.g., sausages, hot dogs, ham, or cured bacon).&nbsp;&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-dietary-types">Dietary Types</h2>



Using these two behaviors as axes, we can plot the four main diet groups:&nbsp;



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>On one end, we find people who eat high-nutrient-dense (HND) foods like vegetables, leafy greens, and fruits and tend to avoid high-calorie foods with low nutrient content like refined carbs, processed foods, saturated fats, and fast food. Depending on their meat intake, these people can be classified as HND + Carnivores (high meat intake) or Herbivores (low meat intake). Importantly, not all Herbivores are vegetarian or vegan; they just eat less meat than the other diet groups. </li>



<li>Conversely, people with a diet low in vegetables, leafy greens, and fruits also tend to eat more high-calorie foods with low nutrient content and low nutrient-dense foods (LND). This group also tends to eat more meat, particularly processed and red meat (LND + Carnivores). Curiously, in this study we couldn’t find a group of people with a diet rich in low nutrient-dense foods that have a low meat intake (group absent in the lower-right corner of Figure 1). </li>



<li>Finally, the people in the middle were called Omnivores because they ate a little of everything.</li>
</ul>



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-large wp-image-27333"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="310" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Dietary-Types-1024x310.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-27333" srcset="https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Dietary-Types-1024x310.jpg 1024w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Dietary-Types-300x91.jpg 300w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Dietary-Types-768x233.jpg 768w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Dietary-Types-880x267.jpg 880w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Dietary-Types-1180x358.jpg 1180w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Dietary-Types.jpg 1600w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Figure 1. Left graph represents the four defined diets projected in the two main behaviors axis (nutrient content of foods and meat intake). Right panel describes the nutritional differences between these diets, the dots represent the average response to the survey question: “How frequently do you eat this food?” Possible responses were: “not at all” (all dots empty), “1-2 times per week” (one filled dot), “3-6 times per week” (two filled dots), “once per day” (three filled dots) or “more than once a day” (all dots filled).</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-men-versus-women">Men versus Women</h2>



After defining these dietary clusters, we looked to see if there were any noticeable demographic differences between these groups, and there were. We found that women tend to group in the Herbivore or HND + Carnivore groups. Fewer women — only about 20 percent in our study — were in the LND + Carnivore group. In contrast, about 30 percent of men were in that group. Women also tended to eat more fruits and vegetables and avoid meat more than men. About one in four women, versus one in six men, were classified in the Herbivore group. (Figure 2)



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-large wp-image-27334"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="316" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Gender-and-Diet-1024x316.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-27334" srcset="https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Gender-and-Diet-1024x316.jpg 1024w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Gender-and-Diet-300x92.jpg 300w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Gender-and-Diet-768x237.jpg 768w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Gender-and-Diet-880x271.jpg 880w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Gender-and-Diet-1180x364.jpg 1180w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Gender-and-Diet.jpg 1600w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Figure 2. Percent of users belonging to each diet class depending on their gender.</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-younger-versus-older">Younger versus Older</h2>



As with gender, if we look at age we also can see differences within each of the dietary classifications. In this study, younger people appeared to eat fewer fruits and vegetables and more high-calorie foods with low nutrient content. We found that about 40 percent of adults under 30 belong to LND + Carnivore category, and only about 10 percent of this age group were in the Herbivore category. The reverse is true for individuals over 60, with people in that age group more likely to eat fruits and vegetables and less likely to eat refined carbs or fast food. This is not surprising since our diets change over time — think about the difference between the typical diet of a college freshman versus the typical diet of a senior citizen. 



Interestingly, when we look at Omnivores, their numbers don’t seem to change as they age. Is a part of the population resilient to changing their nutritional habits as they age? We can&#8217;t say for sure without further study (Figure 3).



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter wp-image-27341 size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="317" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Figure-3-1-1024x317.png" alt="" class="wp-image-27341" srcset="https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Figure-3-1-1024x317.png 1024w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Figure-3-1-300x93.png 300w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Figure-3-1-768x238.png 768w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Figure-3-1-880x273.png 880w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Figure-3-1-1180x366.png 1180w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Figure-3-1.png 1600w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Figure 3. Percent of users belonging to each diet class depending on their age. Users were divided into four different age bins: under 30 (&lt;30), between 30 and 45 (30-45), between 45 and 60 (45-60) and older than 60 (>60).</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-bmi-by-dietary-groups">BMI by Dietary Groups</h2>



We also wanted to examine how these different dietary categories might impact weight, specifically BMI. We found that individuals who ate more fruits and vegetables — Herbivores — were more likely to have a BMI in the healthy range — between 18.5 and 24.9 as defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Figure 4). However, without exercise, those individuals in the Herbivore group were still likely to be overweight. That said, looking at our data it may be even more difficult to maintain a healthy BMI if your diet is in one of the other three dietary categories HND + Carnivore, Omnivore and LND + Carnivore.



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-large wp-image-27336"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="369" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Age-and-Exercise-1024x369.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-27336" srcset="https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Age-and-Exercise-1024x369.jpg 1024w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Age-and-Exercise-300x108.jpg 300w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Age-and-Exercise-768x277.jpg 768w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Age-and-Exercise-880x317.jpg 880w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Age-and-Exercise-1180x426.jpg 1180w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Age-and-Exercise.jpg 1600w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Figure 4. Description of the relationship between the average body mass index (BMI) of each diet class and the users’ age (left panel) and the number of times that they exercise per week for at least 30 min (right panel).</figcaption></figure>



A surprising finding was that the difference in average BMI between the LND + Carnivore group and the Herbivore group is higher in women than in men. This raises the question: Is a woman’s weight more sensitive to eating high-calorie foods?



&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-bmi-by-gender">BMI by Gender</h2>



The differences between women and men in this study could be explained by many reasons. It’s important to highlight that BMI is a measure of weight adjusted for height, but it doesn’t consider body composition. The difference in BMI between men and women could be partially explained by the differences in fat storage observed in men and women [3]. On average, women have 6 to 11 percent more body fat than men. Studies show that estrogen reduces a woman&#8217;s ability to burn energy after eating, resulting in more fat being stored around the body. Experts in this field speculate that the likely reason for the differences in fat storage is to prime women for childbearing [3]. One could speculate that since gender-specific differences in fat storage exist, we might expect a fat-rich diet to impact women’s and men’s BMI differently.



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter wp-image-27342 size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="700" height="361" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/New-image-5.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-27342" srcset="https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/New-image-5.jpg 700w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/New-image-5-300x155.jpg 300w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Figure 5. Difference in BMI between users (divided by their gender) belonging to the LND+Carnivore group compared to that belonging to the Herbivore group.</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-eating-behavior">Eating Behavior</h2>



This study has shed some light on the eating behaviors of the 23andMe community and how they vary by age and gender. More importantly, we have shown that diet plays a significant role in maintaining a healthy weight, which is really important for your health: The higher your BMI, the higher your risk for heart disease, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, and certain cancers [1], [2]. However, what you eat is not enough to define your weight since our data showed that even people in the Herbivore group need to exercise at least five times a week to have a healthy weight. In a future blog post, we will look further into the differences in activity in the 23andMe research community broken down by age, sex, and diet behaviors.



Rafaela Bagur Quetglas is a Data Scientist in Health Research and Development at 23andMe.



____________________________________



*Two machine learning techniques were used in this study. The first method, k-means clustering, was used to place people with similar diet behavior into k distinct groups; in this case, k is four. The second method, principal component analysis, identifies which dietary details set those four groups apart.



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



[1] Donald&nbsp; M. Lyall et al., (2017) Association of Body Mass Index With Cardiometabolic Disease in the UK Biobank: A Mendelian Randomization Study. JAMA Cardiol. 10.1001/jamacardio.2016.5804



[2] Bhaskaran K. et al., (2014) Body-mass index and risk of 22 specific cancers: a population-based cohort study of 5·24 million UK adults. Lancet. 10.1016/S0140-6736(14)60892-8



[3] Betty N. Wu and Anthony J. O&#8217;Sullivan (2011) Sex Differences in Energy Metabolism Need to Be Considered with Lifestyle Modifications in Humans. J Nutr Metab. 10.1155/2011/391809



&nbsp;

23andMe Explores Dietary Habit and Health Outcomes

Before we kick off the New Year, let’s look back and highlight a few important moments for us here at 23andMe in 2018.
The Power of Big Data
For some types of research, size really does matter. In the last year we’ve seen how very large genetic research datasets, like<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-25916 size-full" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/Data-Viz.jpg" alt="" width="1366" height="768" srcset="https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/Data-Viz.jpg 1366w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/Data-Viz-300x169.jpg 300w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/Data-Viz-768x432.jpg 768w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/Data-Viz-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/Data-Viz-880x495.jpg 880w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/Data-Viz-1180x663.jpg 1180w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1366px) 100vw, 1366px" />
The Power of Little Data
23andMe is rooted in science and research, and we now have<a href="https://www.23andme.com/publications/"> more than 110 papers</a> that have appeared in peer-reviewed publications. But along with taking this more traditional approach to publishing our scientific findings, 23andMe also sees the value in the smaller kind of outcomes and more non-traditional ways of sharing them. Often these findings or data points — like the genetics behind being<a href="https://blog.23andme.com/23andme-research/hangry-like-the-wolf/"> Hangry</a> or results from our first<a href="https://blog.23andme.com/23andme-research/23andme-secrets-good-nights-sleep/"> “intervention study”</a> on sleep, or whether people in the US are more likely to prefer sweet treats over salty ones — might not make it into a peer-reviewed journal. But this information is interesting to our customers who participate in research; it’s the difference between<a href="https://blog.23andme.com/23andme-research/big-r-and-little-r-research-at-23andme/"> “Big ‘R’ and Little ‘r’ Research.</a>” Sharing these findings is part of a two-way exchange with our customers, who are also our research participants, in the discoveries and insights they are helping our scientists uncover.
A Year of Firsts
In April 23andMe received the<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-28236 size-full" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/cropped-23ANDME-LOGO.jpg" alt="" width="512" height="512" srcset="https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/cropped-23ANDME-LOGO.jpg 300w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/cropped-23ANDME-LOGO.jpg 150w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/cropped-23ANDME-LOGO.jpg 270w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/cropped-23ANDME-LOGO.jpg 192w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/cropped-23ANDME-LOGO.jpg 180w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/cropped-23ANDME-LOGO.jpg 32w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/cropped-23ANDME-LOGO.jpg 512w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px" />
Privacy Promise
At 23andMe our customers have always been at the core of what we do, and as such we’ve always taken privacy very seriously. In the last year, with new concerns over data privacy and security, we’ve helped to push for a broader adoption of strong privacy policies in the industry by joining forces with other genetic testing companies along with the non-profit organization<a href="https://fpf.org/about/"> Future of Privacy Forum</a> to issue a new <a href="https://fpf.org/2018/07/31/privacy-best-practices-for-consumer-genetic-testing-services/">Privacy Best Practices for Consumer Genetic Testing Services</a>. Much of the fundamental tenets of this policy have long been part of <a href="https://www.23andme.com/privacy/">23andMe’s privacy protections</a>, but the document offers a basic framework for the industry as a whole to safeguard consumer information, as well as guidelines for the collection, protection, sharing and use of genetic data generated from consumer genetic testing. People deserve to have their data protected, no matter which service or product they use, and to do that every genetic testing company should adhere to comprehensive privacy protections, and clearly communicate those policies to people interested in finding out more about what we do at 23andMe.
First People of the Americas
One of the most exciting aspects of genetic research is how often it reorients our understanding of the human story. That happened with two important papers that bookended 2018. Together they altered and deepened our understanding of the first people of the Americas. In separate studies, one published in<a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/nature25173#author-information"> January</a> and the other in<a href="http://science.sciencemag.org/content/early/2018/11/07/science.aav2621"> November</a>, an international team of researchers reported on the analysis of DNA sequences from ancient human remains — including the<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/03/science/native-americans-beringia-siberia.html?module=inline"> second oldest human remains</a> ever found in the Western Hemisphere. Together the studies not only more clearly indicate the timing of when the ancestors of Native Americans first came across the land bridge that once connected Siberia to Alaska — about 20,000 years ago — but the research also showed how those early waves of humans<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/31/science/americans-migration-dna.html"> splintered off</a> into two major ancestral groups — a northern and southern branch — and populated the North, South and Central America. The studies also indicate that there were other early Native Americans who once thrived but eventually, those populations died out. For us here at 23andMe, these kind of findings, in which genetic science is offering new insight into us as a people, is just another illustration of the power of DNA.

23andMe: Five Things from 2018

The future of health care revolves around data, and lots of it.<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignright wp-image-25257 size-full" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/mike-snyder_web300.jpeg" alt="" width="300" height="401" srcset="https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/mike-snyder_web300.jpeg 300w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/mike-snyder_web300-224x300.jpeg 224w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />


Perhaps no one knows more about the potential of “Big Data” to revolutionize medical treatment than<a href="https://med.stanford.edu/profiles/michael-snyder"> Michael Snyder</a>, the director of Stanford’s Center of Genomics and Personalized Medicine. Snyder plans to share some of his wisdom during a webinar on February 28th hosted by 23andMe titled “Big Data and Human Health.”


Using himself as a test case, Snyder has brought his own personal experience to finding the right data and integrating it properly into clinical practice. He helped create something called the integrative personal genomics profile,<a href="http://snyderome.stanford.edu/"> known as iPOP</a>, which generated billions of data points about him that he used to help diagnose his own risk for type 2 diabetes. But finding a clinical approach to effectively using this data is a challenge.


Snyder, who also recently completed the book Genomic &amp; Personalized Medicine: What Everyone Needs to Know (see sidebar), is both practical and hopeful for the potential of big data to transform medicine.
<div style="float: right; text-align: justified; width: 300px; background-color: #eee; padding: 15px; margin-left: 10px;">
Genomics &amp; Personalized Medicine
Similar to how efficiently information is packed into your DNA, Michael Snyder has packed an enormous amount of information into his short book “Genomics &amp; Personalized Medicine.”
Meant to be a quick guide that broadly covers the basics, Snyder has created a very easy to understand overview that boils down complex science and complicated issues in an easy to read book.
Using a question and answer format that’s easy to navigate the book is broken down into 22 chapters with each chapter condensing explanations of DNA basics to cancer genetics to ethics and data security. The answers on these topics are clear and concise, boiling down into a few pages or even a few paragraphs what are sometimes very complicated issues.
This make for a book that could be used as a very effective quick reference guide for both the layperson or medical professional. The book also works well for those interested in getting started on learning the basics on genetics and personalized medicine.
Give it a read.
</div>
“Big Data information can be used to manage one’s health prior to the onset of disease,” he writes in his book. “This has the potential to shift medicine from a reactive practice of treating symptoms and diseases, to one where disease risk is predicted and managed prior to onset, or is at least diagnosed early.”


During the webinar, “Big Data and Human Health,” Snyder will cover some of the kinds of useful data that can now be collected on a person — from biosensors, to genetic data to data from electronic health records — and how best to use this information can be integrated into managing a person’s health.


To register or to find out more about the webinar go here. 
Register now to receive a copy of Dr. Snyder’s book, Genomics &amp; Personalized Medicine: What Everyone Needs to Know.  The first 100 healthcare professionals/clinicians to register will receive a copy.* The webinar is intended for clinicians and other healthcare professionals, but it is open to educators, researchers, students and lifelong learners.

<div style="float: center; text-align: justified; width: 640px; background-color: ##effae7; padding: 15px; margin-left: 10px;">*The first 100 health care professionals who register for the webinar will be eligible to receive a book. Books will be distributed via US mail following the live event. Limit one (1) book per registrant. By providing your email address upon registration and electing to receive a book, you grant 23andMe, Inc. the right to contact you to obtain your US ship-to address for the book. You may opt out of receiving the book at any time before it is shipped by sending an email to this address: medical@23andme.com. or if you fail to provide a ship-to address within thirty (30) days following 23andMe&#8217;s delivery of the email. Entries generated by a script, macro or other automated means will be disqualified. Registrants may submit one (1) entry per person – multiple entries will not be accepted and only the first entry submitted will be eligible. Anyone found using multiple accounts to submit the same entry will automatically be disqualified. This offer is valid exclusively for webinar registrants who are health care professionals with a valid US license and are based in the United States.</div>

Big Data and Human Health

23andMe cofounder and CEO Anne Wojcicki took a few moments to talk to interviewer Hayley Goldbach at Stanford’s recent <a href="http://bigdata.stanford.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Big Data in Biomedicine</a> conference.
The annual conference, which seems to get a little bigger each year, focuses on a sweet spot for 23andMe, the promise that the vast ocean of digital information can help drive breakthroughs in drug development and the personalization of medicine.
Here’s Anne’s interview. 
<iframe loading="lazy" width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/zTgqieMLrl8" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>

big data

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Big Data and Human Health

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