Genome analysis of 330,000 people reveals that whether or not you become a 'vegetarian' depends on your genes
Even if you try to eat a vegetable-based diet for your health, there are many people who find themselves craving meat no matter what. On the other hand, there are some people who dislike meat and become vegetarians without even realizing it. A study that analyzed the genomes of approximately 5,000 vegetarians and 330,000 non-vegetarians has identified genes associated with vegetarianism.
Genetics of vegetarianism: A genome-wide association study | PLOS ONE
Is your DNA steering you towards a vegetarian diet?
https://www.news-medical.net/news/20231009/Is-your-DNA-steering-you-towards-a-vegetarian-diet.aspx
Scientists discover evidence that being a vegetarian may be written in your genes | Euronews
https://www.euronews.com/next/2023/10/08/scientists-discover-evidence-that-being-a-vegetarian-may-be-written-in-your-genes
Vegetarians choose a diet centered on vegetables and fruits for a variety of reasons, including climate change, animal welfare, and health-consciousness. On the other hand, it has been reported that the majority of 'self-proclaimed vegetarians' (approximately 48-64%) actually eat fish and meat, and whether or not you can stick to a vegetarian diet depends not only on your dietary preferences but also on your body's response to nutrition. may be related.
In a paper published in the peer-reviewed open access journal PLOS ONE, Nabeel R. Yaseen and colleagues from Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in the United States compared dietary data with genetic data registered in the UK Biobank. We conducted a study to analyze the results.
Yaseen and his colleagues first investigated whether the participants were vegetarians by asking whether they had eaten 'seafood, processed meat, poultry, beef, pork, mutton, lard' in the past year. We conducted two surveys asking people whether they ate ``. As a result, 5,324 people remained as ``strict vegetarians'' who do not eat meat.
According to the research team, vegetarians were more likely to be female, to be younger, to have a lower BMI, to have a higher
After comparing the genes of 329,455 participants in strict vegetarian and meat-eating control groups, they found single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) , or genetic variations, on chromosome 18 that are associated with vegetarianism. 'rs72884519' was found. This rs72884519 is associated with four genes: 'TMEM241', 'RIOK3', 'NPC1', and 'RMC1'. In addition, another analysis found three genes, ``RIOK3'', ``NPC1'', and ``RMC1'', that are clearly related to vegetarianism, and 31 genes that are likely to be related to vegetarianism, for a total of 34 genes. I did.
Genes such as 'NPC1' and 'RMC1' are genes related to lipid metabolism and brain function. In particular, NPC1 plays an extremely important role in transporting cholesterol in the body, and people with problems with NPC1 are known to develop Niemann-Pick disease type C, which causes lipid accumulation and central nervous system disorders. Masu.
Based on this, researchers believe that differences in fat metabolism and its effects on the brain may be important in choosing a vegetable-based diet. Yaseen said: ``This is just speculation, but meat contains a lipid component that is important for some people, and people who are genetically inclined to be vegetarians may be able to synthesize this component in their bodies. Isn't there?' he said.
The livestock industry that produces meat emits a lot of greenhouse gases, so switching from meat to plant-based meat substitutes is considered an effective way to combat climate change, but there is a big difference in nutrition between meat and meat substitutes. It has been pointed out that meat substitutes that can completely replace meat have not yet become widespread.
'Future research will lead to a better understanding of the physiological differences between vegetarians and non-vegetarians, which may lead to optimal individualized diets and the development of better meat alternatives,' Yaseen said. 'I don't think so,' he said, looking forward to future research.
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