Pooled twin studies show how genes and environment shape our perceptions of our own health

Authors Finkel et al. conducted the largest ever investigation of the genetic architecture of subjective health by analyzing data from 24,173 adults ranging in age from 40 to 90, using pooled data from 18 studies of twins from Australia, Denmark, Sweden, and the US. In this paper, they examined the genetic and environmental factors that influence how both men and women rate their health as they age. NACDA is the source of four of the twin studies used in the analysis: Midlife in the United States (MIDUS 1); Swedish Adoption/Twin Study on Aging (SATSA); Study of Dementia in Swedish Twins; and the NAS-NRC Twin Registry. Finkel et al. found that genes play a significant role in how we perceive our health, but there is no specific “health perception gene.” Instead, the same genes that affect our actual health also influence how we view our health. Their findings indicated that as we get older, the way we understand our health relies on a more complex blend of physical, emotional, and cognitive factors. For instance, older adults (66-90) showed stronger connections between their health perceptions and their physical health, mood, and memory compared to middle-aged adults (40-65). And women’s health perceptions were more influenced by genes than men’s.