It is well-known that some individuals are genetically predisposed to a shorter lifespan. Additionally, factors such as smoking, alcohol consumption, diet, and physical activity can also influence longevity.
Interestingly, it turns out that the chances of living longer can be improved. According to a new study by Chinese and Scottish researchers, a healthy lifestyle can offset the impact of genetics by more than 60 percent. Moreover, adopting a healthy lifestyle could add an average of five years to our lives. This was confirmed by researchers from the Zhejiang University School of Medicine in China and the University of Edinburgh in the UK.
The team noted that there has been a lack of research explaining how a healthy lifestyle can “correct” genetic predispositions.
What Scientists Discovered
For 13 years, researchers analyzed data from 353,742 volunteers registered in the UK Biobank. During this period, there were 24,239 deaths.
Participants were grouped into three genetically determined categories regarding lifespan: long (20.1%), average (60.1%), and short (19.8%). They were also categorized based on lifestyle into three groups: favorable (23.1%), average (55.6%), and unfavorable (21.3%), as reported by The Guardian.
The researchers utilized polygenic risk scores to examine numerous genetic variants and determine individuals’ overall genetic predisposition to longer or shorter lives. Other assessments considered whether individuals smoked, consumed alcohol, exercised, had a certain body shape, maintained a healthy diet, and got adequate sleep.
They found that individuals with a higher genetic risk for a shorter lifespan faced a 21 percent greater threat of premature death compared to those with a lower genetic risk, regardless of their lifestyle. Meanwhile, those leading an unhealthy lifestyle had a 78 percent increased likelihood of early death, irrespective of their genetic predisposition. The researchers also identified that an unhealthy lifestyle combined with a genetic predisposition to a shorter life more than doubled the risk of premature death.
Furthermore, the team discovered that the genetic risk for a reduced lifespan or premature death could be compensated for by a favorable lifestyle by approximately 62 percent. Additionally, “participants with a high genetic risk can extend their lifespan by about 5.22 years at age 40 with a healthy lifestyle.”
The scientists assert that the optimal foundation for increasing lifespan includes “quitting smoking, regular physical activity, adequate sleep duration, and healthy eating.”
In their report, the team wrote: “The study explains the key role of a healthy lifestyle in mitigating the impact of genetic factors on reduced lifespan.”
Matt Lambert, a medical information and advocacy manager at the World Cancer Research Fund, summarized: “This new research shows that despite the influence of genetic factors, a healthy lifestyle, which includes a balanced diet and maintaining physical activity, can help us live longer.”
The results of the study were published in the journal BMJ Evidence-Based Medicine.