“Unlocking Longevity: The Power of Lifestyle in Overcoming Genetic Fate”

New research published in the British Medical Journal Evidence-Based Medicine suggests that adopting a healthy lifestyle could counter the effects of life-shortening genes genetic by over 60%. The study analyzed the data of more than 350,000 adults recruited to the UK Biobank between 2006 and 2010, and whose health was tracked up until 2021. The researchers found that four factors make up the most favorable lifestyle combination: not smoking, regular physical activity, adequate nightly sleep, and a healthy diet.

While genes and lifestyle together impact a person’s lifespan, an unhealthy lifestyle could heighten the risk of dying prematurely by 78%, regardless of their genetic inclinations. However, the authors found that “the genetic risk of a shorter lifespan or premature death might be offset by a favorable lifestyle by approximately 62%.”

The authors also found that given how lifestyle habits tend to be cemented before middle age, measures should be taken to address the effects of life-shortening genes before then. Starting a healthy lifestyle at the age of 40 years could enhance life expectancy by roughly 5.5 years in those having a high genetic risk of a shorter lifespan.

The researchers acknowledge that the European ancestry of the participants could limit applying the findings to a wider population. Further, being an observational study, no causal links could be established, they said. Nonetheless, the study elucidates the pivotal role of a healthy lifestyle in mitigating the impact of genetic factors on lifespan reduction.