Genetic and environmental influences on adult human height across birth cohorts from 1886 to 1994

Aline Jelenkovic; Yoon-Mi Hur; Reijo Sund; Yoshie Yokoyama; Sisira H. Siribaddana; Matthew Hotopf; Athula Sumathipala; Fruhling Rijsdijk; Qihua Tan; Dongfeng Zhang; Zengchang Pang; Sari Aaltonen; Kauko Heikkila; Sevgi Y. Oncel; Fazil Aliev; Esther Rebato; Adam D. Tarnoki; David L. Tarnoki; Kaare Christensen; Axel Skytthe; Kirsten O. Kyvik; Judy L. Silberg; Lindon J. Eaves; Hermine H. Maes; Tessa L. Cutler; John L. Hopper; Juan R. Ordonana; Juan F. Sanchez-Romera; Lucia Colodro-Conde; Wendy Cozen; Amie E. Hwang; Thomas M. Mack; Joohon Sun; Yun-Mi Song; Sarah Yang; Kayoung Lee; Carol E. Franz; William S. Kremen; Michael J. Lyons; Andreas Busjahn; Tracy L. Nelson; Keith E. Whitfield; Christian Kandler; Kerry L. Jang; Margaret Gatz; David A. Butler; Maria A. Stazi; Corrado Fagnani; Cristina D'Ippolito; Glen E. Duncan; Dedra Buchwald; Catherine A. Derom; Robert F. Vlietinck; Ruth J. F. Loos; Nicholas G. Martin; Sarah E. Medland; Grant W. Montgomery; Hoe-Uk Jeong; Gary E. Swan; Ruth Krasnow; Patrik K. E. Magnusson; Nancy L. Pedersen; Anna K. Dahl-Aslan; Tom A. McAdams; Thalia C. Eley; Alice M. Gregory; Per Tynelius; Laura A. Baker; Catherine Tuvblad; Gombojav Bayasgalan; Danshiitsoodol Narandalai; Paul Lichtenstein; Timothy D. Spector; Massimo Mangino; Genevieve Lachance; Meike Bartels; Toos C. E. M. van Beijsterveldt; Gonneke Willemsen; S. Alexandra Burt; Kelly L. Klump; Jennifer R. Harris; Ingunn Brandt; Thomas Sevenius Nilsen; Robert F. Krueger; Matt McGue; Shandell Pahlen; Robin P. Corley; Jacob v B. Hjelmborg; Jack H. Goldberg; Yoshinori Iwatani; Mikio Watanabe; Chika Honda; Fujio Inui; Finn Rasmussen; Brooke M. Huibregtse; Dorret I. Boomsma; Thorkild I.A. Sørensen; Jaakko Kaprio; Karri Silventoinen

doi:10.7554/eLife.20320

Genetic and environmental influences on adult human height across birth cohorts from 1886 to 1994

Aline Jelenkovic, Yoon-Mi Hur, Reijo Sund, Yoshie Yokoyama, Sisira H. Siribaddana, Matthew Hotopf, Athula Sumathipala, Fruhling Rijsdijk, Qihua Tan, Dongfeng Zhang, Zengchang Pang, Sari Aaltonen, Kauko Heikkila, Sevgi Y. Oncel, Fazil Aliev, Esther Rebato, Adam D. Tarnoki, David L. Tarnoki, Kaare Christensen, Axel SkyttheKirsten O. Kyvik, Judy L. Silberg, Lindon J. Eaves, Hermine H. Maes, Tessa L. Cutler, John L. Hopper, Juan R. Ordonana, Juan F. Sanchez-Romera, Lucia Colodro-Conde, Wendy Cozen, Amie E. Hwang, Thomas M. Mack, Joohon Sun, Yun-Mi Song, Sarah Yang, Kayoung Lee, Carol E. Franz, William S. Kremen, Michael J. Lyons, Andreas Busjahn, Tracy L. Nelson, Keith E. Whitfield, Christian Kandler, Kerry L. Jang, Margaret Gatz, David A. Butler, Maria A. Stazi, Corrado Fagnani, Cristina D'Ippolito, Glen E. Duncan, Dedra Buchwald, Catherine A. Derom, Robert F. Vlietinck, Ruth J. F. Loos, Nicholas G. Martin, Sarah E. Medland, Grant W. Montgomery, Hoe-Uk Jeong, Gary E. Swan, Ruth Krasnow, Patrik K. E. Magnusson, Nancy L. Pedersen, Anna K. Dahl-Aslan, Tom A. McAdams, Thalia C. Eley, Alice M. Gregory, Per Tynelius, Laura A. Baker, Catherine Tuvblad, Gombojav Bayasgalan, Danshiitsoodol Narandalai, Paul Lichtenstein, Timothy D. Spector, Massimo Mangino, Genevieve Lachance, Meike Bartels, Toos C. E. M. van Beijsterveldt, Gonneke Willemsen, S. Alexandra Burt, Kelly L. Klump, Jennifer R. Harris, Ingunn Brandt, Thomas Sevenius Nilsen, Robert F. Krueger, Matt McGue, Shandell Pahlen, Robin P. Corley, Jacob v B. Hjelmborg, Jack H. Goldberg, Yoshinori Iwatani, Mikio Watanabe, Chika Honda, Fujio Inui, Finn Rasmussen, Brooke M. Huibregtse, Dorret I. Boomsma, Thorkild I.A. Sørensen, Jaakko Kaprio, Karri Silventoinen

Department of Public Health

21 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Human height variation is determined by genetic and environmental factors, but it remains unclear whether their influences differ across birth-year cohorts. We conducted an individual-based pooled analysis of 40 twin cohorts including 143,390 complete twin pairs born 1886–1994. Although genetic variance showed a generally increasing trend across the birth-year cohorts, heritability estimates (0.69-0.84 in men and 0.53-0.78 in women) did not present any clear pattern of secular changes. Comparing geographic-cultural regions (Europe, North America and Australia, and East Asia), total height variance was greatest in North America and Australia and lowest in East Asia, but no clear pattern in the heritability estimates across the birth-year cohorts emerged. Our findings do not support the hypothesis that heritability of height is lower in populations with low living standards than in affluent populations, nor that heritability of height will increase within a population as living standards improve.

Original language	English
Article number	e20320
Journal	eLife
Volume	5
Pages (from-to)	1-14
Number of pages	14
ISSN	2050-084X
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.20320
Publication status	Published - 14 Dec 2016

Access to Document

10.7554/eLife.20320Licence: CC BY

Cite this

Jelenkovic, A., Hur, Y-M., Sund, R., Yokoyama, Y., Siribaddana, S. H., Hotopf, M., Sumathipala, A., Rijsdijk, F., Tan, Q., Zhang, D., Pang, Z., Aaltonen, S., Heikkila, K., Oncel, S. Y., Aliev, F., Rebato, E., Tarnoki, A. D., Tarnoki, D. L., Christensen, K., ... Silventoinen, K. (2016). Genetic and environmental influences on adult human height across birth cohorts from 1886 to 1994. eLife, 5, 1-14. [e20320]. https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.20320

Jelenkovic, A, Hur, Y-M, Sund, R, Yokoyama, Y, Siribaddana, SH, Hotopf, M, Sumathipala, A, Rijsdijk, F, Tan, Q, Zhang, D, Pang, Z, Aaltonen, S, Heikkila, K, Oncel, SY, Aliev, F, Rebato, E, Tarnoki, AD, Tarnoki, DL, Christensen, K, Skytthe, A, Kyvik, KO, Silberg, JL, Eaves, LJ, Maes, HH, Cutler, TL, Hopper, JL, Ordonana, JR, Sanchez-Romera, JF, Colodro-Conde, L, Cozen, W, Hwang, AE, Mack, TM, Sun, J, Song, Y-M, Yang, S, Lee, K, Franz, CE, Kremen, WS, Lyons, MJ, Busjahn, A, Nelson, TL, Whitfield, KE, Kandler, C, Jang, KL, Gatz, M, Butler, DA, Stazi, MA, Fagnani, C, D'Ippolito, C, Duncan, GE, Buchwald, D, Derom, CA, Vlietinck, RF, Loos, RJF, Martin, NG, Medland, SE, Montgomery, GW, Jeong, H-U, Swan, GE, Krasnow, R, Magnusson, PKE, Pedersen, NL, Dahl-Aslan, AK, McAdams, TA, Eley, TC, Gregory, AM, Tynelius, P, Baker, LA, Tuvblad, C, Bayasgalan, G, Narandalai, D, Lichtenstein, P, Spector, TD, Mangino, M, Lachance, G, Bartels, M, van Beijsterveldt, TCEM, Willemsen, G, Burt, SA, Klump, KL, Harris, JR, Brandt, I, Nilsen, TS, Krueger, RF, McGue, M, Pahlen, S, Corley, RP, Hjelmborg, JVB, Goldberg, JH, Iwatani, Y, Watanabe, M, Honda, C, Inui, F, Rasmussen, F, Huibregtse, BM, Boomsma, DI, Sørensen, TIA, Kaprio, J & Silventoinen, K 2016, 'Genetic and environmental influences on adult human height across birth cohorts from 1886 to 1994', eLife, vol. 5, e20320, pp. 1-14. https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.20320

@article{e00322f880744ef6b5efa5be2e18744d,

title = "Genetic and environmental influences on adult human height across birth cohorts from 1886 to 1994",

abstract = "Human height variation is determined by genetic and environmental factors, but it remains unclear whether their influences differ across birth-year cohorts. We conducted an individual-based pooled analysis of 40 twin cohorts including 143,390 complete twin pairs born 1886–1994. Although genetic variance showed a generally increasing trend across the birth-year cohorts, heritability estimates (0.69-0.84 in men and 0.53-0.78 in women) did not present any clear pattern of secular changes. Comparing geographic-cultural regions (Europe, North America and Australia, and East Asia), total height variance was greatest in North America and Australia and lowest in East Asia, but no clear pattern in the heritability estimates across the birth-year cohorts emerged. Our findings do not support the hypothesis that heritability of height is lower in populations with low living standards than in affluent populations, nor that heritability of height will increase within a population as living standards improve.",

author = "Aline Jelenkovic and Yoon-Mi Hur and Reijo Sund and Yoshie Yokoyama and Siribaddana, {Sisira H.} and Matthew Hotopf and Athula Sumathipala and Fruhling Rijsdijk and Qihua Tan and Dongfeng Zhang and Zengchang Pang and Sari Aaltonen and Kauko Heikkila and Oncel, {Sevgi Y.} and Fazil Aliev and Esther Rebato and Tarnoki, {Adam D.} and Tarnoki, {David L.} and Kaare Christensen and Axel Skytthe and Kyvik, {Kirsten O.} and Silberg, {Judy L.} and Eaves, {Lindon J.} and Maes, {Hermine H.} and Cutler, {Tessa L.} and Hopper, {John L.} and Ordonana, {Juan R.} and Sanchez-Romera, {Juan F.} and Lucia Colodro-Conde and Wendy Cozen and Hwang, {Amie E.} and Mack, {Thomas M.} and Joohon Sun and Yun-Mi Song and Sarah Yang and Kayoung Lee and Franz, {Carol E.} and Kremen, {William S.} and Lyons, {Michael J.} and Andreas Busjahn and Nelson, {Tracy L.} and Whitfield, {Keith E.} and Christian Kandler and Jang, {Kerry L.} and Margaret Gatz and Butler, {David A.} and Stazi, {Maria A.} and Corrado Fagnani and Cristina D'Ippolito and Duncan, {Glen E.} and Dedra Buchwald and Derom, {Catherine A.} and Vlietinck, {Robert F.} and Loos, {Ruth J. F.} and Martin, {Nicholas G.} and Medland, {Sarah E.} and Montgomery, {Grant W.} and Hoe-Uk Jeong and Swan, {Gary E.} and Ruth Krasnow and Magnusson, {Patrik K. E.} and Pedersen, {Nancy L.} and Dahl-Aslan, {Anna K.} and McAdams, {Tom A.} and Eley, {Thalia C.} and Gregory, {Alice M.} and Per Tynelius and Baker, {Laura A.} and Catherine Tuvblad and Gombojav Bayasgalan and Danshiitsoodol Narandalai and Paul Lichtenstein and Spector, {Timothy D.} and Massimo Mangino and Genevieve Lachance and Meike Bartels and {van Beijsterveldt}, {Toos C. E. M.} and Gonneke Willemsen and Burt, {S. Alexandra} and Klump, {Kelly L.} and Harris, {Jennifer R.} and Ingunn Brandt and Nilsen, {Thomas Sevenius} and Krueger, {Robert F.} and Matt McGue and Shandell Pahlen and Corley, {Robin P.} and Hjelmborg, {Jacob v B.} and Goldberg, {Jack H.} and Yoshinori Iwatani and Mikio Watanabe and Chika Honda and Fujio Inui and Finn Rasmussen and Huibregtse, {Brooke M.} and Boomsma, {Dorret I.} and S{\o}rensen, {Thorkild I.A.} and Jaakko Kaprio and Karri Silventoinen",

year = "2016",

month = dec,

day = "14",

doi = "10.7554/eLife.20320",

language = "English",

volume = "5",

pages = "1--14",

journal = "eLife",

issn = "2050-084X",

publisher = "eLife Sciences Publications Ltd.",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Genetic and environmental influences on adult human height across birth cohorts from 1886 to 1994

AU - Jelenkovic, Aline

AU - Hur, Yoon-Mi

AU - Sund, Reijo

AU - Yokoyama, Yoshie

AU - Siribaddana, Sisira H.

AU - Hotopf, Matthew

AU - Sumathipala, Athula

AU - Rijsdijk, Fruhling

AU - Tan, Qihua

AU - Zhang, Dongfeng

AU - Pang, Zengchang

AU - Aaltonen, Sari

AU - Heikkila, Kauko

AU - Oncel, Sevgi Y.

AU - Aliev, Fazil

AU - Rebato, Esther

AU - Tarnoki, Adam D.

AU - Tarnoki, David L.

AU - Christensen, Kaare

AU - Skytthe, Axel

AU - Kyvik, Kirsten O.

AU - Silberg, Judy L.

AU - Eaves, Lindon J.

AU - Maes, Hermine H.

AU - Cutler, Tessa L.

AU - Hopper, John L.

AU - Ordonana, Juan R.

AU - Sanchez-Romera, Juan F.

AU - Colodro-Conde, Lucia

AU - Cozen, Wendy

AU - Hwang, Amie E.

AU - Mack, Thomas M.

AU - Sun, Joohon

AU - Song, Yun-Mi

AU - Yang, Sarah

AU - Lee, Kayoung

AU - Franz, Carol E.

AU - Kremen, William S.

AU - Lyons, Michael J.

AU - Busjahn, Andreas

AU - Nelson, Tracy L.

AU - Whitfield, Keith E.

AU - Kandler, Christian

AU - Jang, Kerry L.

AU - Gatz, Margaret

AU - Butler, David A.

AU - Stazi, Maria A.

AU - Fagnani, Corrado

AU - D'Ippolito, Cristina

AU - Duncan, Glen E.

AU - Buchwald, Dedra

AU - Derom, Catherine A.

AU - Vlietinck, Robert F.

AU - Loos, Ruth J. F.

AU - Martin, Nicholas G.

AU - Medland, Sarah E.

AU - Montgomery, Grant W.

AU - Jeong, Hoe-Uk

AU - Swan, Gary E.

AU - Krasnow, Ruth

AU - Magnusson, Patrik K. E.

AU - Pedersen, Nancy L.

AU - Dahl-Aslan, Anna K.

AU - McAdams, Tom A.

AU - Eley, Thalia C.

AU - Gregory, Alice M.

AU - Tynelius, Per

AU - Baker, Laura A.

AU - Tuvblad, Catherine

AU - Bayasgalan, Gombojav

AU - Narandalai, Danshiitsoodol

AU - Lichtenstein, Paul

AU - Spector, Timothy D.

AU - Mangino, Massimo

AU - Lachance, Genevieve

AU - Bartels, Meike

AU - van Beijsterveldt, Toos C. E. M.

AU - Willemsen, Gonneke

AU - Burt, S. Alexandra

AU - Klump, Kelly L.

AU - Harris, Jennifer R.

AU - Brandt, Ingunn

AU - Nilsen, Thomas Sevenius

AU - Krueger, Robert F.

AU - McGue, Matt

AU - Pahlen, Shandell

AU - Corley, Robin P.

AU - Hjelmborg, Jacob v B.

AU - Goldberg, Jack H.

AU - Iwatani, Yoshinori

AU - Watanabe, Mikio

AU - Honda, Chika

AU - Inui, Fujio

AU - Rasmussen, Finn

AU - Huibregtse, Brooke M.

AU - Boomsma, Dorret I.

AU - Sørensen, Thorkild I.A.

AU - Kaprio, Jaakko

AU - Silventoinen, Karri

PY - 2016/12/14

Y1 - 2016/12/14

N2 - Human height variation is determined by genetic and environmental factors, but it remains unclear whether their influences differ across birth-year cohorts. We conducted an individual-based pooled analysis of 40 twin cohorts including 143,390 complete twin pairs born 1886–1994. Although genetic variance showed a generally increasing trend across the birth-year cohorts, heritability estimates (0.69-0.84 in men and 0.53-0.78 in women) did not present any clear pattern of secular changes. Comparing geographic-cultural regions (Europe, North America and Australia, and East Asia), total height variance was greatest in North America and Australia and lowest in East Asia, but no clear pattern in the heritability estimates across the birth-year cohorts emerged. Our findings do not support the hypothesis that heritability of height is lower in populations with low living standards than in affluent populations, nor that heritability of height will increase within a population as living standards improve.

AB - Human height variation is determined by genetic and environmental factors, but it remains unclear whether their influences differ across birth-year cohorts. We conducted an individual-based pooled analysis of 40 twin cohorts including 143,390 complete twin pairs born 1886–1994. Although genetic variance showed a generally increasing trend across the birth-year cohorts, heritability estimates (0.69-0.84 in men and 0.53-0.78 in women) did not present any clear pattern of secular changes. Comparing geographic-cultural regions (Europe, North America and Australia, and East Asia), total height variance was greatest in North America and Australia and lowest in East Asia, but no clear pattern in the heritability estimates across the birth-year cohorts emerged. Our findings do not support the hypothesis that heritability of height is lower in populations with low living standards than in affluent populations, nor that heritability of height will increase within a population as living standards improve.

U2 - 10.7554/eLife.20320

DO - 10.7554/eLife.20320

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 27964777

SN - 2050-084X

VL - 5

SP - 1

EP - 14

JO - eLife

JF - eLife

M1 - e20320

ER -