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APOE Genotype Disclosure and Lifestyle Advice in a Randomized Intervention Study with Finnish Participants
Leskinen HM, Tringham M, Karjalainen H, Iso-Touru TK, Hietaranta-Luoma HL, Marnila PJ, Pihlava JM, Hurme T et al.. The Journal of nutrition, 2021-01-01
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
Background The APOE ε4 allele is associated with higher risks of cardiovascular diseases and Alzheimer disease than ε3 and ε2. Objectives We studied the effectiveness of dietary and lifestyle guidance and personal genetic risk information [ε4 carrier (ε4+); ε4 noncarrier (ε4-)] as motivators for a healthier lifestyle. Methods A total of 188 healthy Finnish volunteers (82.4% women; mean ± SD age: 51.0 ± 5.6 y; BMI: 26.0 ± 3.6 kg/m2; total cholesterol: 5.2 ± 0.9 mmol/L) participated in our randomized intervention study. The participants were genotyped for APOE and divided into intervention (INT; INTε4+, n = 33; INTε4-, n = 57) and control groups (CTRL; CTRLε4+, n = 36; CTRLε4-, n = 62). Blood samples, measured observations, and questionnaire data were obtained at baseline and at 1 and 1.5 y. INT participants received their ε4 carrier status at baseline. Monthly Internet-based guidance based on the Finnish Dietary guidelines was provided for all. Results The proportion of SFAs in plasma over time fluctuated less in INTε4+ than in the other groups (P-interaction Conclusions Lifestyle guidance given to healthy Finnish participants yielded small but beneficial changes. The INTε4+ group did not seem markedly more responsive to the guidance than the other groups.This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT03794141.
Key findings
- Background The APOE ε4 allele is associated with higher risks of cardiovascular diseases and Alzheimer disease than ε3 and ε2.
- Results The proportion of SFAs in plasma over time fluctuated less in INTε4+ than in the other groups (P-interaction Conclusions Lifestyle guidance given to healthy Finnish participants yielded small but beneficial changes.
Why it matters
In 188 healthy Finnish volunteers, lifestyle guidance produced small beneficial changes, and those told they carried the APOE ε4 allele were not clearly more responsive. This concerns lifestyle motivation, not treating, curing or preventing Alzheimer's disease.
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Study details
- Participants33
- Effect size82.4%
- Evidence strengthHigh
How this study scored 48/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design because the record does not state it. We have no data on senior author's track record, so that was left out: it earned 46 of the 96 points we could judge it on, which is 48 out of 100.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (The Journal of nutrition) |
| Journal's citation record | 3 / 4 | Journal of Nutrition: journal h-index 372 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 5 / 5 | Rated “high” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 3 / 5 | 2021 — within 6 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 1 / 4 | 33 participants |
| Effect reported | 2 / 3 | Effect reported as a number, without an interval or test |
| Studied in people | 3 / 3 | Studied in people (participant count stated) |
| Randomised / blinded | 1 / 2 | Randomised (as stated in the record) |
| Times cited | 2 / 7 | Cited 8 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 1 / 5 | 1.1 citations a year over 7 year(s) since 2021 |
| Impact for its field and year | 1 / 6 | Cited 0.1× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 1 / 6 | Cited by 1 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 1 / 4 | Cited 7 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | — / 4 | OpenAlex's profile for last-listed author L Susanna Rokka holds only 1 work(s), too few to judge a track record — left out of this score |
| Institution's track record | 1 / 3 | University of Helsinki: institution h-index 1,201 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 2 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 5 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 33188400) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Points | 46 / 96 | Scored on 19 of 20 parts. We have no data for the rest, so they are left out: 46 of the 96 points we could judge it on is 48 out of 100. |
| Total | 48 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
Full text: free to read — Unpaywall lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 10 Oct 2026).
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Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. The record's author list ends in “et al.”, so not every author is named. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Leskinen, H. M., Tringham, M., Karjalainen, H., Iso-Touru, T. K., Hietaranta-Luoma, H. L., Marnila, P. J., et al. (2021). APOE Genotype Disclosure and Lifestyle Advice in a Randomized Intervention Study with Finnish Participants. The Journal of nutrition. https://doi.org/10.1093/jn/nxaa316
Vancouver
Leskinen HM, Tringham M, Karjalainen H, Iso-Touru TK, Hietaranta-Luoma HL, Marnila PJ, et al. APOE Genotype Disclosure and Lifestyle Advice in a Randomized Intervention Study with Finnish Participants. The Journal of nutrition. 2021. doi:10.1093/jn/nxaa316. PMID: 33188400.
BibTeX
@article{leskinen2021-33188400,
author = {Leskinen, H. M. and Tringham, M. and Karjalainen, H. and Iso-Touru, T. K. and Hietaranta-Luoma, H. L. and Marnila, P. J. and Pihlava, J. M. and Hurme, T. and others},
title = {{APOE Genotype Disclosure and Lifestyle Advice in a Randomized Intervention Study with Finnish Participants}},
journal = {The Journal of nutrition},
year = {2021},
doi = {10.1093/jn/nxaa316},
pmid = {33188400},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1093/jn/nxaa316}
}
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