Note to users. If you're seeing this message, it means that your browser cannot find this page's style/presentation instructions -- or possibly that you are using a browser that does not support current Web standards. Find out more about why this message is appearing, and what you can do to make your experience of our site the best it can be.

Science 26 April 2002:
Vol. 296. no. 5568, pp. 695 - 698
DOI: 10.1126/science.1071055
Prev | Table of Contents | Next

Viewpoint

Balancing Life-Style and Genomics Research for Disease Prevention

Walter C. Willett

Genetic and environmental factors, including diet and life-style, both contribute to cardiovascular disease, cancers, and other major causes of mortality, but various lines of evidence indicate that environmental factors are most important. Overly enthusiastic expectations regarding the benefits of genetic research for disease prevention have the potential to distort research priorities and spending for health. However, integration of new genetic information into epidemiologic studies can help clarify causal relations between both life-style and genetic factors and risks of disease. Thus, a balanced approach should provide the best data to make informed choices about the most effective means to prevent disease.

Departments of Epidemiology and Nutrition, Harvard School of Public Health, 665 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA. E-mail: walter.willett{at}channing.harvard.edu

Read the Full Text


THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES:
Chemopreventive Effects of Frondanol A5, a Cucumaria frondosa Extract, against Rat Colon Carcinogenesis and Inhibition of Human Colon Cancer Cell Growth.
N. B. Janakiram, A. Mohammed, Y. Zhang, C.-I. Choi, C. Woodward, P. Collin, V. E. Steele, and C. V. Rao (2010)
Cancer Prevention Research 3, 82-91
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Saturation Density of Skin Fibroblasts as a Quantitative Screen for Human Cancer Susceptibility.
H. Rubin (2009)
Cancer Epidemiol. Biomarkers Prev. 18, 2366-2372
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Association and Functional Analyses of MEF2A as a Susceptibility Gene for Premature Myocardial Infarction and Coronary Artery Disease.
I. Guella, V. Rimoldi, R. Asselta, D. Ardissino, M. Francolini, N. Martinelli, D. Girelli, F. Peyvandi, M. Tubaro, P. A. Merlini, et al. (2009)
Circ Cardiovasc Genet 2, 165-172
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Could Dirty Air Cause Diabetes?.
A. Bhatnagar (2009)
Circulation 119, 492-494
   Full Text »    PDF »
Analysis of Heart Period and Arterial Pressure Variability in Childhood Hypertension: Key Role of Baroreflex Impairment.
S. Genovesi, F. Pieruzzi, M. Giussani, V. Tono, A. Stella, A. Porta, M. Pagani, and D. Lucini (2008)
Hypertension 51, 1289-1294
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
-Ionone inhibits colonic aberrant crypt foci formation in rats, suppresses cell growth, and induces retinoid X receptor-{alpha} in human colon cancer cells.
N. B. Janakiram, I. Cooma, A. Mohammed, V. E. Steele, and C. V. Rao (2008)
Mol. Cancer Ther. 7, 181-190
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Increasing life expectancy in Germany: quantitative contributions from changes in age- and disease-specific mortality.
J. Klenk, K. Rapp, G. Buchele, U. Keil, and S. K. Weiland (2007)
Eur J Public Health 17, 587-592
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Butein, a Tetrahydroxychalcone, Inhibits Nuclear Factor (NF)-{kappa}B and NF-{kappa}B-regulated Gene Expression through Direct Inhibition of I{kappa}B{alpha} Kinase beta on Cysteine 179 Residue.
M. K. Pandey, S. K. Sandur, B. Sung, G. Sethi, A. B. Kunnumakkara, and B. B. Aggarwal (2007)
J. Biol. Chem. 282, 17340-17350
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Genetic Research and Smoking Behavior--Reply.
C. Carlsten and W. Burke (2007)
JAMA 297, 810
   Full Text »    PDF »
A Common Mitochondrial DNA Variant and Increased Body Mass Index as Associated Factors for Development of Type 2 Diabetes: Additive Effects of Genetic and Environmental Factors.
C.-W. Liou, T.-K. Lin, H. Huei Weng, C.-F. Lee, T.-L. Chen, Y.-H. Wei, S.-D. Chen, Y.-C. Chuang, S.-W. Weng, and P.-W. Wang (2007)
J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 92, 235-239
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
For Debate: Investment in Nutrigenomics Will Advance the Role of Nutrition in Public Health.
J. W. Lampe (2006)
Cancer Epidemiol. Biomarkers Prev. 15, 2329-2330
   Full Text »    PDF »
Environmental Cardiology: Studying Mechanistic Links Between Pollution and Heart Disease.
A. Bhatnagar (2006)
Circ. Res. 99, 692-705
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Molecular Interventions in Lifestyle-Related Diseases: edited by M Hiramatsu, T Yoshikawa, and L Packer, 2005, 354 pages, hardcover, $199.95. CRC Press LLC, Boca Raton, FL..
P. I Oteiza (2006)
Am. J. Clinical Nutrition 84, 670
   Full Text »    PDF »
Heritability of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome in a Dutch Twin-Family Study.
J. M. Vink, S. Sadrzadeh, C. B. Lambalk, and D. I. Boomsma (2006)
J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 91, 2100-2104
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
The role of thiocyanate in the etiology of goiter in an industrial metropolitan area.
V F H Brauer, H Below, A Kramer, D Fuhrer, and R Paschke (2006)
Eur. J. Endocrinol. 154, 229-235
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
The Genomic Basis of Myocardial Infarction.
E. J. Topol (2005)
J. Am. Coll. Cardiol. 46, 1456-1465
   Full Text »    PDF »
How many genes underlie the occurrence of common complex diseases in the population?.
Q. Yang, M. J Khoury, J. Friedman, J. Little, and W D. Flanders (2005)
Int. J. Epidemiol. 34, 1129-1137
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Familial Lung Cancer and Aggregation of Smoking Habits: A Simulation of the Effect of Shared Environmental Factors on the Familial Risk of Cancer.
J. Lorenzo Bermejo and K. Hemminki (2005)
Cancer Epidemiol. Biomarkers Prev. 14, 1738-1740
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Meat, Fish, and Colorectal Cancer Risk: The European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition.
T. Norat, S. Bingham, P. Ferrari, N. Slimani, M. Jenab, M. Mazuir, K. Overvad, A. Olsen, A. Tjonneland, F. Clavel, et al. (2005)
J Natl Cancer Inst 97, 906-916
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Biomarkers in paediatric research and practice.
B P Lanphear and C F Bearer (2005)
Arch. Dis. Child. 90, 594-600
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Do We Need Genomic Research for the Prevention of Common Diseases with Environmental Causes?.
M. J. Khoury, R. Davis, M. Gwinn, M. L. Lindegren, and P. Yoon (2005)
Am. J. Epidemiol. 161, 799-805
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Potential Synergy of Phytochemicals in Cancer Prevention: Mechanism of Action.
R. H. Liu (2004)
J. Nutr. 134, 3479S-3485S
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Environmental genomics: a key to understanding biology, pathophysiology and disease.
D. A. Schwartz, J. H. Freedman, and E. A. Linney (2004)
Hum. Mol. Genet. 13, R217-R224
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Identification of genes contributing to the obese yellow Avy phenotype: caloric restriction, genotype, diet x genotype interactions.
J. Kaput, K. G. Klein, E. J. Reyes, W. A. Kibbe, C. A. Cooney, B. Jovanovic, W. J. Visek, and G. L. Wolff (2004)
Physiol Genomics 18, 316-324
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Obesity and the Development of Insulin Resistance and Impaired Fasting Glucose in Black and White Adolescent Girls: A longitudinal study.
D. J. Klein, L. Aronson Friedman, W. R. Harlan, B. A. Barton, G. B. Schreiber, R. M. Cohen, L. C. Harlan, and J. A. Morrison (2004)
Diabetes Care 27, 378-383
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Nutritional genomics: the next frontier in the postgenomic era.
J. Kaput and R. L. Rodriguez (2004)
Physiol Genomics 16, 166-177
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Lessons from dietary studies in Adventists and questions for the future.
W. Willett (2003)
Am. J. Clinical Nutrition 78, 539S-543
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
C-reactive protein correlates with macrophage accumulation in coronary arteries of hypercholesterolemic pigs.
J. R. Turk, J. A. Carroll, M. H. Laughlin, T. R. Thomas, J. Casati, D. K. Bowles, and M. Sturek (2003)
J Appl Physiol 95, 1301-1304
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Measures of genotype versus gene products: promise and pitfalls in cancer prevention.
H. Ahsan and A. G. Rundle (2003)
Carcinogenesis 24, 1429-1434
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Clinical Research to Clinical Practice -- Lost in Translation?.
C. Lenfant (2003)
N. Engl. J. Med. 349, 868-874
   Full Text »    PDF »
To C or not to C, that is the question!.
B. Frei (2003)
J. Am. Coll. Cardiol. 42, 253-255
   Full Text »    PDF »
Differential Patterns of Age-Related Mortality Increase in Middle Age and Old Age.
S. Horiuchi, C. E. Finch, F. Mesle, and J. Vallin (2003)
J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci 58, B495-B507
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Absence of Linkage of Familial Intracranial Aneurysms to 7q11 in Highly Aggregated Japanese Families.
S. Yamada, M. Utsunomiya, K. Inoue, K. Nozaki, S. Miyamoto, N. Hashimoto, K. Takenaka, T. Yoshinaga, and A. Koizumi (2003)
Stroke 34, 892-900
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
The genome sequence is a jazz score.
M. Porta (2003)
Int. J. Epidemiol. 32, 29-31
   Full Text »    PDF »
Genetics of Aging and Diseases: From Rare Mutations and Model Systems to Disease Prevention.
V. D. Longo and C. E. Finch (2002)
Arch Neurol 59, 1706-1708
   Full Text »    PDF »
Cancer Prevention Science and Practice.
S. M. Lippman and W. K. Hong (2002)
Cancer Res. 62, 5119-5125
   Full Text »    PDF »
Patenting of genetic material: Are the benefits to society being realized?.
D. J. Willison and S. M. MacLeod (2002)
Can. Med. Assoc. J. 167, 259-262
   Full Text »    PDF »


To Advertise     Find Products

Science. ISSN 0036-8075 (print), 1095-9203 (online)