What is a genetic risk factor for a common disease, and why is understanding inherited risk important?
A genetic risk factor for a common disease is a specific version of a marker in the sequence of the genome that causes or correlates with an increased likelihood of developing a given disease. Common diseases such as T2D occur at the interface of genes and the environment, as both genetic as well as lifestyle and other health risk factors play important roles in the disease process. As a result, it is important to understand what carrying an inherited risk variant for a common disease means, and how that information can be used to support implementation of strategies that can reduce the likelihood of an individual ever developing the disease.
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