In a significant finding, scientists have discovered that environmental factors play a greater role than genetic variants in determining the height of children in low and middle income countries (LMICs) in contrast to those from European nations, where genetic aspects predominate in regulating childhood height.
This was expounded in a study carried out by the Hyderabad-based Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CSIR-CCMB) along with several other national and international institutions. The study was recently published in the journal Nature Communications.
While human height is strongly influenced by fixed genetic and variable environmental factors, the authors of the study noted that the contribution of modifiable epigenetic factors is under-explored. Epigenetic factors are external influences, including lifestyle, nutrition and environment that affect the way genes work. Epigenetic changes affect gene regulation and alter gene expression but not the DNA sequence.
