Do Amish Have Problems With Inbreeding?
There is some speculation that the Amish community may have a higher risk of genetic disorders due to a higher prevalence of consanguineous marriages (marriage between close relatives). However, there is limited conclusive scientific evidence to prove this to be true. Some studies have shown that while there may be a slightly elevated rate of some genetic disorders in the Amish community, their overall health is generally excellent and they have lower rates of obesity, diabetes, and other health issues. The Amish community also has a strong tradition of outside marriage to avoid inbreeding, which helps to mitigate any potential problems.