Lifestyle choices impact lifespan more than genetics

A recent study has found that lifestyle choices and environment play a more significant role in determining how long people live than genetics. This research was published in the journal Nature Medicine and used data from the UK Biobank, which includes health and lifestyle information from about 500,000 individuals. The researchers examined various factors, such as smoking, social status, and physical activity, and assessed their impact on diseases and mortality. They also looked at biological age, which reflects how quickly a person's body is aging on a molecular level. The study revealed that environmental factors accounted for about 17% of the variation in lifespan, while genetic factors contributed less than 2%. The findings strongly support the idea that our choices and surroundings influence health and longevity more than our genes. Environmental factors had a significant effect on diseases like lung and heart disease, while genetics mattered more for conditions like breast and prostate cancer. Some unexpected results included a connection between being taller at age ten and a shorter lifespan. Additionally, the study did not find a clear link between diet and biological aging, which contrasts with existing knowledge on diet’s role in health. Researchers noted this could be due to the study's design limitations. It's important to consider that some factors affecting health, such as income and job status, are not always within one's control. Overall, the study promotes the idea that while genetics do matter, how we live our lives is crucial when it comes to our health and longevity.