Habits that reduce the risk of premature death by 62%

New research shows that these habits can give extra years to people who are genetically predisposed to a shorter life expectancy.

Genetic predisposition is an increased likelihood of developing a disease based on the genetic information that each of us carries. According to a new study published in the scientific journal BMJ Evidence-Based Medicine, certain lifestyle habits can compensate for a person's genetic predisposition to early death and increase their life expectancy by 5 years.

The study, which followed more than 350,000 Britons, found that people with a high genetic risk of a shorter life expectancy were 21% more likely to die young than those with low genetic risk, regardless of their lifestyle. In the same time People with unhealthy lifestyles are 78% more likely to die prematurely, regardless of genes.

The combination of an unhealthy lifestyle and a genetic predisposition more than doubled the risk of early death for participants compared to those who did not have a genetic predisposition to a shorter life expectancy and lived a healthy lifestyle. Any genetic risk of shorter lifespan or early death could be offset by around 62% by a healthier lifestyle, according to findings by scientists from the University of Edinburgh and Zhejiang University School of Medicine in China. The best habits that prolong life have been found to be:

• Avoiding smoking.
• Regular physical activity.
• Quality and sufficient sleep.
• Balanced diet.

The researchers followed the participants for about 13 years, during which 24,239 deaths occurred. They divided the volunteers into three categories, depending on their genetic predisposition. They then used different polygenic risk categories to look at a variety of genetic variants and determine a person's overall genetic predisposition to a longer or shorter lifespan, before concluding that the ideal combination for living longer was adopting the four aforementioned healthy habits.

It is known that some people are genetically predisposed to a shorter lifespan. It is also known that lifestyle factors, especially smoking, alcohol consumption, diet and physical activity, may affect life expectancy. However, until now, no research has been done to understand the extent to which a healthy lifestyle can compensate for genetics.

“People at high genetic risk can extend their life by about 5.22 years at age 40 if they lead a healthy lifestyle. New research suggests that despite genetic factors, a healthy lifestyle including a balanced diet and regular activity can help. We also know that it can reduce your risk of cancer. Therefore, we all need to make the necessary changes in habits that protect us and help us live longer and better,” the authors emphasized.

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