Scientists have found that people who are genetically predisposed to a shorter lifespan could live five years longer if they follow a healthy lifestyle.
In the first study of its kind, experts investigated how exercise, a healthy diet, enough sleep and quitting smoking can improve chances of survival despite the heavy influence of genetics. .
The study involved 353,742 people from UK Biobank and found that people with high genetic risk for short lifespans had a 21% risk of premature death compared to those with low genetic risk, regardless of lifestyle. % was shown to be higher.
Meanwhile, people with unhealthy lifestyles have a 78% increased chance of dying prematurely, regardless of genetic risk.
The study also found that people with both an unhealthy lifestyle and a short-lifespan gene had more than twice the risk of dying early than those with luckier genes and a healthier lifestyle. .
However, researchers found that people seemed to have some control over what happened.
Their findings showed that the genetic risk of shortened lifespan and premature death can be offset by about 62% by a favorable lifestyle.
“Participants at high genetic risk could increase their life expectancy by approximately 5.22 years at age 40 if they practiced a good lifestyle,” the researchers said.
The “optimal lifestyle combination” for longevity was found to be “non-smoking, regular physical activity, adequate sleep time, and a healthy diet.”
The study, published in the journal BMJ Evidence Based Medicine, followed people for an average of 13 years, during which time 24,239 people died.
People are divided into three genetically determined lifespan categories, including long-lived (20.1%), intermediate (60.1%), and short-lived (19.8%), as well as favorable (23.1%), moderate (55.6%) , divided into three lifestyle score categories, including unfavorable; (21.3%).
Researchers used polygenic risk scores to examine multiple genetic variations to derive a person's overall genetic predisposition to a longer or shorter lifespan.
Other scores looked at whether people smoked, whether they drank alcohol, whether they exercised, their body shape, healthy eating, and sleep.
Matt Lambert, senior health information officer at the World Cancer Research Fund, said: “This new research shows that despite genetic factors, eating a balanced, nutritious diet and staying active “This shows that living a healthy lifestyle can help you live longer.” It has also been shown to reduce the risk of cancer. ”
He acknowledged that “making healthy changes can be daunting,” but encouraged people to take a look at the foundation's online healthy living program, Activ8.
Researchers included staff from China's Zhejiang University School of Medicine and the University of Edinburgh.