The Interplay between Genes and Psychosocial Home Environment on Physical Activity

ABSTRACT Introduction Genetic factors contribute to individual differences in physical activity, but it remains uncertain whether the magnitude of the genetic effects is modified by variations in home environments. We aimed to examine to what extent the psychosocial home environment in childhood and adolescence modifies the genetic influences on leisure-time physical activity in young adulthood. Methods Participants were Finnish twins (N=3,305) who reported their leisure-time physical activity at age 24. The psychosocial home environment was assessed by twins at ages 12, 14 and 17, as well as by their parents when the twins were age 12. Gene–environment interaction modeling was performed with OpenMx software. Results Parental ratings of positive home atmosphere as well as the twins' ratings of both positive home atmosphere at age 14 and lower relational tensions at ages 12 and 14 predicted higher leisure-time physical activity levels in young adulthood (regression coefficients 0.33–0.64). Parental perceptions as well as the twins' perceptions of positive home atmosphere at ages 14 and 17 increased the additive genetic variation (moderation effects 0.60, 95% CI 0.26–1.05; 0.55, 95% CI 0.29–0.80 and 0.52, 95%CI 0.19–0.87, respectively). The twins' ratings of positive home atmosphere at age 12 and lower relational tensions at ages 12 and 14 increased the unique environmental variation of their subsequent physical activity (moderation effects 0.46, 95% CI 0.19–0.60; 0.48, 95% CI 0.29–0.64 and 0.85, 95% CI 0.12–0.95, respectively). Conclusions A psychosocial home environment that is warm and supportive in childhood and adolescence not only increases the mean level of subsequent leisure-time physical activity in young adulthood, but also modifies the genetic and environmental variances in leisure-time physical activity. Corresponding author: Sari Aaltonen Ph.D., Institute for Molecular Medicine (FIMM), University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 20 (Tukholmankatu 8 B), FIN-00014 University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland. E-mail: sari.s.aaltonen@helsinki.fi The research work has been supported by the Academy of Finland (grant 266592 to S.A. and K.S., grants 100499, 205585, 141054, 265240, 263278 and 264146 to J.K.), the Finnish Ministry of Education and Culture (to S.A., U.M.K. and K.S.), the Juho Vainio Foundation (to S.A., U.M.K. and K.S.), and the Finnish Cultural Foundation (to S.A.). Data collection of the FinnTwin12 study has also been supported by the U.S. National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (grants AA-12502, AA-00145, and AA-09203 to R.J.R.). The authors declare no conflict of interest. The results of the present study do not constitute endorsement by the American College of Sports Medicine. The authors state that the results of the study are presented clearly, honestly, and without fabrication, falsification, or inappropriate data manipulation. Accepted for Publication: 21 November 2017 © 2017 American College of Sports Medicine

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