For the first time in history, a massive study of human behavior in relation to their genetic heritage is underway. This massive survey will encompass about 10,000 American citizens over a period of about 20 years. The companies that joined forces for this giant task are trying to determine if people are willing to change their lifestyle if they find out they have a predisposition to certain diseases.
 

It's common knowledge that some diseases transmit from parents to infants, either on maternal or paternal line. Some people have a "built-in" susceptibility to developing certain afflictions sometime in their lives. By analyzing thousands of genomes over two decades, scientists are attempting to uncover the psychology behind human behavior changes. If people found out that they have an obesity history in their family, would they start using the gym or would they ignore the warnings?
 

That question is the main concern of this study, started October 9th. Several large companies, that have already started offering DNA decoding services to private customers, are working with the Scripps Translational Science Institute in San Diego. The results of the study will not be used commercially, Scripps' Eric Topol says, as independent scientists will be in charge of the project.
 

Newly published papers cast some doubt on whether genetic predispositions can indeed cause relapsing diseases in the offspring of initial carriers. Investigations by the US Government Accountability Office and publications in the American Journal of Human Genetics have argued that genetic influence is much more reduced than previously thought.
 

But other scientists say that the influence of something that is buried in the very core of humans, their DNA, cannot be refuted lightly. To that end, they argue that the new study will shed some light on the influence genetics actually has on particular individuals. Hopefully, two decades from now, their results could explain several psychological and genetic features of individuals predisposed to developing inherited diseases.