A nurse working in a diabetes clinic is planning a community program regarding the disease, particularly its known risk factors. Which information should the nurse include regarding genetic contribution to this disease?

Question

Note: Credit will be given only if all correct choices and no incorrect choices are selected.
Standard Text: Select all that apply.
1. Only about 12 genes have been linked to a higher risk for diabetes.
2. Diabetes risk genes are responsible for only about 10% of the risk of inheriting this disease.
3. An increased risk for developing diabetes is likely due to the interaction among many genes.
4. Inheritance is only one of the factors associated with increased risk for developing diabetes.
5. The environment may cause changes in some genes that make the development of diabetes more likely.

Answer 1

2,3,4,5
Rationale 1: GWASs have linked about 40 genes to an increased risk for diabetes.
Rationale 2: All the known disease risk genes account for only 10% of heritable disease risk.
Rationale 3: The interaction of a number of genes is likely to have a big impact on heritable risk.
Rationale 4: Diabetes is a multifactorial disease, and risk is associated with genetic makeup, environment, and epigenetics.
Rationale 5: This statement explains the concept of epigenetics.