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A Longitudinal Study on Genetic and Environmental Influences on Leisure Time Physical Activity in the Finnish Twin Cohort

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 February 2012

Sari Aaltonen ,
Alfredo Ortega-Alonso ,
Urho M. Kujala  and
Jaakko Kaprio
Sari Aaltonen*
Affiliation:
Department of Health Sciences, University of Jyväskylä, Finland. sari.s.aaltonen@jyu.fi
Alfredo Ortega-Alonso
Affiliation:
Department of Public Health, University of Helsinki, Finland.
Urho M. Kujala
Affiliation:
Department of Health Sciences, University of Jyväskylä, Finland.
Jaakko Kaprio
Affiliation:
Department of Public Health, University of Helsinki, Finland; Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services, National Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki, Finland.
*
*Address for correspondence: Sari Aaltonen, Department of Health Sciences (Viv), P.O Box 35, FIN-40014 University of Jyväskylä, Finland.

Abstract

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The purpose of this study was to examine changes in the contribution of genetic and environmental influences to leisure time physical activity among male and female twins over a 6-year follow-up. At baseline the sample comprised 4,280 monozygotic and 9,276 dizygotic twin individuals, and at follow-up 4,383 monozygotic and 9,439 dizygotic twin individuals. Participants were aged 18–54 years at baseline. Genetic modeling results showed that genetic influences on leisure time physical activity declined from baseline (44%) to follow-up (34%). Most of the genetic influences identified at baseline were present at followup (rg = 0.72). Specific environmental influences increased from baseline (56%) to follow-up (66%) while at follow-up new environmental time-specific influences were observed (re = 0.23). The model with sex differences showed a higher estimate of genetic influences for men than women both at baseline (men 47% vs. women 42%) and at follow-up (men 38% vs. women 31%). The additive genetic correlation for this phenotype was greater for men (rg = 0.79) than women (rg = 0.64). The specific environmental influences were corresponding; at baseline men 53% and women 56% and at follow-up men 62 % and women 69%. The environmental correlations between the two time points were similar for men (re= 0.21) and for women (re= 0.24). In conclusion, in a sample of healthy twins most of the genetic influences on leisure time physical activity expressed at baseline were present at 6 years of follow-up. New specific environmental factors underlying follow-up leisure time physical activity were observed.

Keywords

genetic influencesheritabilityphysical activitytwin study
Type
Articles
Information
Twin Research and Human Genetics , Volume 13 , Issue 5 , 01 October 2010 , pp. 475 - 481
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2010