Derek and Sandy have both won Olympic Gold in Track and Field. They met while tr

Question

Derek and Sandy have both won Olympic Gold in Track and Field. They met while training, fell in love and after retiring from the sport decided to have a baby. The couple are both healthy, in their early 30’s, and are now proud parents of a healthy girl, they named Abbey. Derek and Sandy believe that Abbey one day will win a Gold Olympic medal in Track and Field as well. They claim that being an elite athlete is in Abbey’s genes.

what would you tell Derek and Sandy about the scientific evidence for their claim?

Explanation / Answer

Note: This response is in UK English, please paste the response to MS Word and you should be able to spot discrepancies easily. You may elaborate the answer based on personal views or your classwork if necessary.

(Answer) A wholesome diet and optimal training are essential in rearing a good athlete. A few genes and traits have been persistent in athletic individuals so far. However, none of these genes have been strong enough to predict or guarantee athletic success.

“Two gene variants, ACE I/D and ACTN3 R577X, have been consistently associated with endurance (ACEI/I) and power-related (ACTN3 R/R) performance, though neither can be considered predictive. “ (Source: Genetic influence on athletic performance

Lisa M. Guth and Stephen M. Roth)

Furthermore, body types like mesomorphic or ectomorphic somatotype, favourable height and muscle mass are generally based on heritability. However, these are not the only conditions required to be athletic.

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