Genes influence how much we move

How much we move every day, determined to a certain part of our genetic make-up. The have found out by researchers at the University of Oxford, have compared genetic data with motion profiles.

How long are we to sit per day, sleep or do sports, seems to depend also of our genetic characteristics. Scientists at Oxford University have identified 14 genes that influence the physical activity of the study participants. For seven of them, and this connection was previously unknown. Were you with the duration of sleep, sitting or physical activity. The data also evidence that exercise lowers blood pressure. Study leader Dr. Aiden Doherty from the Big Data Institute at the University of Oxford says: "How and why we move, but only partly in the genes. The Knowledge about how the genome contributes to, helps us to understand the causes and consequences of physical inactivity better."

For the analysis of genetic data from a UK-based Biobank of 91.105 people were used. The participants had worn for a week a device on their wrist that recorded their activity. For the study, a special application was developed, the determined therefrom, the duration of sleeping, sitting, time spent, and various physical activities. Co-author Dr. Karl Smith Byrne explains: "We have very carefully developed learning models to teach complex functions, such as physical activity analyze. These models provide exciting new insights into the movement behavior of people."

ZOU