According to a new study of over 5 million people’s DNA, there are genetic links to height. The study, published in the journal Nature, found that there are more than 700 genetic variants that are associated with height.
While genetics play a role in height, it is not the only factor. Environmental factors, such as nutrition and exercise, also play a role in how tall a person grows.
The new study provides the most comprehensive look yet at the genetics of height. The findings could help researchers understand other conditions that are influenced by height, such as osteoporosis and certain cancers.
Height is a complex trait that is influenced by many genes. The new study found that there are more than 700 genetic variants that are associated with height.
Environmental factors, such as nutrition and exercise, also play a role in how tall a person grows. The new study provides the most comprehensive look yet at the genetics of height. The findings could help researchers understand other conditions that are influenced by height, such as osteoporosis and certain cancers.
In a large-scale study recently published in the journal Nature, an international team of researchers analyzed the genomes of over five million people to identify genes that are associated with height.
Previous studies had already identified a few hundred genes that contribute to height variation, but this new study more than doubles that number. In total, the researchers identified 697 genetic variants that are associated with height.
Though most of these variants have only a small effect on height, taken together they can explain up to 20% of the variation in height between individuals.
The study also found that the genetic variants associated with height are different in different populations. For example, the variants that are most common in Europeans are least common in East Asians, and vice versa.
This is not surprising, since different populations have undergone different evolutionary pressures, resulting in different patterns of genetic variation.
The study of height is interesting not only for its own sake, but also because height is a “complex trait” that is determined by many genes. By understanding the genetic basis of height, we can gain insights into the biology of other complex traits, such as intelligence and disease susceptibility.
