Does Nature Genetics love to watch TV or sports? Your genetics affect physical activity

In a large international study, researchers at Uppsala University have identified areas

It's no secret that an active lifestyle and less sitting time are associated

To improve our understanding of the mechanisms that influence physical activity and their role in disease prevention, researchers at Uppsala University, along with researchers from around the world, combined genetic data from more than 700,000 people who participated in 51 studies

"We know that people tend to overestimate the amount of time they spend on physical activity, but about half of the DNA regions we identified also showed a strong association

Next, the researchers used dna variants as tool variables, showing that the shorter the screen time, the lower

"We confirm that physical activity has benefits for health outcomes

Further analysis showed that DNA variants associated with casual screen time tend to be located near genes that alter skeletal muscle activity as a result of strength training

The researchers studied a gene in more detail and identified a DNA variant that alters the components of a protein that is only present in rapidly shrinking skeletal muscle fibers

"Our findings suggest that this change produces more resilient muscle fibers that transmit less force but may be less susceptible to exercise-induced muscle damage

In total, the researchers identified 46 genes in 99 DNA regions that may be linked

"We can't say yet that these 46 genes cause people to physically exercise more or less in their daily lives, but they provide big clues