What range of Variant Allele Frequency (VAF) indicates commonality in individuals over 65 years old?

The range of Variant Allele Frequency (VAF) that indicates commonality in individuals over 65 years old is considered to be under 30%. This is based on studies showing that many genetic variants, particularly those associated with aging and age-related conditions, are present at lower frequencies in the general population.

As individuals age, the accumulation of genetic mutations can increase, but many of these mutations will still be present at low frequencies within the somatic cells. A VAF under 30% indicates that a variant is not overwhelmingly dominant in the population, yet it can still be observed as a common variant among older adults due to the increased likelihood of such mutations arising during the aging process. This low frequency is significant in the context of genetic counseling and understanding the implications for health in older populations.

In contrast, frequencies that are above this range typically represent rare or more aggressive variants, which do not align with the commonality observed in older individuals. Variants with frequencies above 30% tend to indicate a stronger selection for those variants, often leading to implications for phenotypes that are not as commonly found in older adults.