Approved Research

Associations of genetic factors, healthy lifestyle behavior, and environmental pollution with chronic respiratory diseases

Lay summary

Background: Chronic respiratory diseases have become a public health problem worldwide. The development of chronic respiratory diseases is a complex interaction between genetic risk and environmental factors. Environmental risk factors (i.e. PM2.5), unhealthy lifestyle factors (i.e. smoking) and genetic risk (i.e. polygenic risk score) has been widely associated with the risk of chronic respiratory diseases. However, previous studies usually ignored the interactions between these environmental factors and genetic risk.

Objective: In this study, we mainly want to comprehensively explore the interactions between genetic risk (polygenic risk scores) and environmental risk factors (including unhealthy lifestyle factors) for overall chronic respiratory diseases.

Scientific Principles: This study aims to comprehensively investigate the associations of genetic factors, common environmental factors, and lifestyle factors with of chronic respiratory diseases risk and explore the interactions between genetic and environmental factors. Then, we include the interaction terms as well as genetic and environmental factors to build a risk prediction model, and examine the improvement of risk prediction.

Project duration: Data analysis and the publication of the findings will be completed within 36 months.

Public health impact: This project is expected to identify interactions between genetic risk and environmental factors for of chronic respiratory diseases, and improve the efficiency of risk prediction. The results will help identify groups of individuals who are at higher risk of chronic respiratory diseases and guide early, targeted prevention by combining genetic and environmental factors.