Expanding the environmental scope: an environment-wide association study for mental well-being

Margot P. Van De Weijer; Bart M. L. Baselmans; Jouke-Jan Hottenga; Conor V. Dolan; Gonneke Willemsen; Meike Bartels

doi:10.1038/s41370-021-00346-0

Expanding the environmental scope: an environment-wide association study for mental well-being

Margot P. Van De Weijer
, Bart M. L. Baselmans
, Jouke-Jan Hottenga
, Conor V. Dolan
, Gonneke Willemsen
, Meike Bartels

Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article › Academic › peer-review

Abstract

Background

Identifying modifiable factors associated with well-being is of increased interest for public policy guidance. Developments in record linkage make it possible to identify what contributes to well-being from a myriad of factors. To this end, we link two large-scale data resources; the Geoscience and Health Cohort Consortium, a collection of geo-data, and the Netherlands Twin Register, which holds population-based well-being data.
Objective

We perform an Environment-Wide Association Study (EnWAS), where we examine 139 neighbourhood-level environmental exposures in relation to well-being.
Methods

First, we performed a generalized estimation equation regression (N = 11,975) to test for the effects of environmental exposures on well-being. Second, to account for multicollinearity amongst exposures, we performed principal component regression. Finally, using a genetically informative design, we examined whether environmental exposure is driven by genetic predisposition for well-being.
Results

We identified 21 environmental factors that were associated with well-being in the domains: housing stock, income, core neighbourhood characteristics, livability, and socioeconomic status. Of these associations, socioeconomic status and safety are indicated as the most important factors to explain differences in well-being. No evidence of gene-environment correlation was found.
Significance

These observed associations, especially neighbourhood safety, could be informative for policy makers and provide public policy guidance to improve well-being. Our results show that linking databases is a fruitful exercise to identify determinants of mental health that would remain unknown by a more unilateral approach.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	195-204
Number of pages	10
Journal	Journal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology
Volume	32
Issue number	2
Early online date	14 Jun 2021
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/s41370-021-00346-0
Publication status	Published - Mar 2022

Funding

This work was supported by the European Research Council (ERC-COG WELL-BEING [grant number 771057 to MB], NWO Middelgroot [911-09-032], NWO-Groot [480-15-001/674], the Avera Institute for Human Genetics, Sioux Falls, South Dakota (USA) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH, [R01D0042157‐01A]), ZonMw Rubicon [grant number 45219101 to BMLB]. Part of the genotyping was funded by the Genetic Association Information Network (GAIN) of the Foundation for the US National Institutes of Health (NIMH, MH081802) and by the Grand Opportunity grants [1RC2MH089951‐01] and 1RC2 [MH089995‐01] from the NIMH. Survey 6: This study was supported by The Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research (NWO-MW [904-61-193], NWO [575-25-006]) Survey 8: Supported by the Addiction programme of ZonMW [31160008]: Genetic determinants of risk behaviour in relation to alcohol use and alcohol use disorder. 1. The Geoscience and Health Cohort Consortium (GECCO) was financially supported by the EMGO Institute for Health and Care Research of Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam and VU University Medical Centre in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. GECCO, Geoscience and Health Cohort Consortium; is acknowledged for gathering and combining existing data into the GECCO repository, and maintaining the infrastructure necessary for these data. The following people contributed to the GECCO consortium. The views presented here may not reflect the opinions of the individuals listed below, except for those who are listed as co-author (G.W). Amsterdam UMC: Jeroen Lakerveld, Brenda Penninx, Joline Beulens, Erik Timmermans, Martijn Huisman, Alfred Wagtendonk, Sophia Kramer. VU: Dorret Boomsma, Gonneke Willemsen, Carlo Schuengel, Mirjam Oosterman. AMC: Karien Stronks. Global Geo Health Data Centre: Derek Karssenberg, Ilonca Vaartjes, Roel Vermeulen. Maastricht University: Annemarie Koster, Coen Stehouwer. Sanquin: Katja van den Hurk. Spatial Information Laboratory VU Amsterdam: Eric Koomen. Leiden University Medical Centre: Ren?e de Mutsert. Trimbos Institute: Margreet ten Have. The Netherlands Institute for Public Health and Environment: Monique Verschuren, Susan Picavet. Erasmus University Amsterdam: Frank van Lenthe, Mari?lle Beenackers, Arfan Ikram, Oscar Franco, Vincent Jaddoe. University Medical Centre Groningen: Tineke Oldehinkel. Lifelines: Trynke de Jong, Saakje Mulder & Aafje Dotinga. This work was supported by the European Research Council (ERC-COG WELL-BEING [grant number 771057 to MB], NWO Middelgroot [911-09-032], NWO-Groot [480- 15-001/674], the Avera Institute for Human Genetics, Sioux Falls, South Dakota (USA) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH, [R01D0042157?01A]), ZonMw Rubicon [grant number 45219101 to BMLB]. Part of the genotyping was funded by the Genetic Association Information Network (GAIN) of the Foundation for the US National Institutes of Health (NIMH, MH081802) and by the Grand Opportunity grants [1RC2MH089951?01] and 1RC2 [MH089995?01] from the NIMH. Survey 6: This study was supported by The Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research (NWO-MW [904-61-193], NWO [575-25- 006]) Survey 8: Supported by the Addiction programme of ZonMW [31160008]: Genetic determinants of risk behaviour in relation to alcohol use and alcohol use disorder. 1. The Geoscience and Health Cohort Consortium (GECCO) was financially supported by the EMGO Institute for Health and Care Research of Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam and VU University Medical Centre in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

Funders	Funder number
ERC-Cog
Leiden University Medical Centre
Avera Institute for Human Genetics
Netherlands Institute for Public Health and Environment
European Research Council
National Institutes of Health	R01D0042157, R01D0042157‐01A
Nederlandse Organisatie voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek	911-09-032
NWO-MW	575-25-006, 904-61-193
National Institute of Mental Health	R01MH081802, 1RC2, RC2MH089995, RC2MH089951
ZonMw Rubicon	45219101
ZonMw	31160008
NWO-Groot	480-15-001/674
Horizon 2020 Framework Programme	771057

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 11 Sustainable Cities and Communities

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Cite this

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title = "Expanding the environmental scope: an environment-wide association study for mental well-being",

abstract = "Background Identifying modifiable factors associated with well-being is of increased interest for public policy guidance. Developments in record linkage make it possible to identify what contributes to well-being from a myriad of factors. To this end, we link two large-scale data resources; the Geoscience and Health Cohort Consortium, a collection of geo-data, and the Netherlands Twin Register, which holds population-based well-being data. Objective We perform an Environment-Wide Association Study (EnWAS), where we examine 139 neighbourhood-level environmental exposures in relation to well-being. Methods First, we performed a generalized estimation equation regression (N = 11,975) to test for the effects of environmental exposures on well-being. Second, to account for multicollinearity amongst exposures, we performed principal component regression. Finally, using a genetically informative design, we examined whether environmental exposure is driven by genetic predisposition for well-being. Results We identified 21 environmental factors that were associated with well-being in the domains: housing stock, income, core neighbourhood characteristics, livability, and socioeconomic status. Of these associations, socioeconomic status and safety are indicated as the most important factors to explain differences in well-being. No evidence of gene-environment correlation was found. Significance These observed associations, especially neighbourhood safety, could be informative for policy makers and provide public policy guidance to improve well-being. Our results show that linking databases is a fruitful exercise to identify determinants of mental health that would remain unknown by a more unilateral approach.",

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AU - Hottenga, Jouke-Jan

AU - Dolan, Conor V.

AU - Willemsen, Gonneke

AU - Bartels, Meike

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Expanding the environmental scope: an environment-wide association study for mental well-being

Abstract

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UN SDGs

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