New research points out that healthy lifestyle choices such as regular exercise, better diet and enough sleep, can offset the genetic risk of early death by up to 62 per cent. While genes do play a role, it’s the lifestyle choices that largely determine your lifespan.
The study, published in the BMJ Evidence-Based Medicine journal, involved over 350,000 participants in which researchers investigated the link between lifestyle choices, genetic factors, and human longevity.
Way to live longer: What did the study reveal?
The study says that you can increase your lifespan by saying no to bad habits such as binge drinking, smoking, and unhealthy eating patterns.
Even if your genes are not exactly supportive of you living a longer life, healthier lifestyle choices such as getting enough sleep can significantly improve your odds of living a long life.
Also watch | Gravitas: Study more, live longer, says new research
The research involved 353,742 European adults who were enlisted between 2006 and 2010 and then tracked until 2021. The study examined factors such as the longevity PRS in the highest quintile categories and the healthy lifestyle score (HLS).
The study found that healthy lifestyle habits has the potential to decrease the hereditary risk by 62 per cent. Individuals who possess a genetic predisposition towards a shorter lifespan and lead an unhealthy lifestyle face a mortality risk 2.04 times higher than the individuals with healthier habits.
Implementing healthy lifestyle behaviours could substantially rectify premature mortality in individuals with a genetic predisposition towards shorter lifespans.
“This study elucidates the pivotal role of a healthy lifestyle in mitigating the impact of genetic factors on lifespan reduction,” the researchers add.
“Given that lifestyle behavioral habits are usually developed before middle age, taking effective public health interventions is quite crucial for those at high genetic risk to extend their lifespan before the formation of a fixed lifestyle,” the researchers conclude.
(With inputs from agencies)