lifestyle vs. genes: research says daily habits have bigger impact on health and aging

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new research from oxford population health builds on evidence that taking responsibility for our health has far more impact than our genes.

by karen hawthorne

published feb 24, 2025

3 minute read

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3 minute read

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knowing our family history is helpful, but research shows making healthy choices—like staying active and eating well, for example—matters most. getty images

can we age better with good lifestyle habits like regular physical activity, not smoking, eating whole foods and getting outside in nature?

the answer is a resounding yes, with new research from oxford population health building on evidence that taking responsibility for our health has far more impact than our genes. knowing our family history is helpful, but making healthy choices—like staying active and eating well, for example—matters most.

the researchers looked at data from about half a million uk biobank participants to determine the influence of 164 environmental factors and genetic risk scores for 22 major diseases on aging, age-related diseases and premature death (under the age of 75). the study, published in nature medicine, opens the door for more research that looks at the “episome” of impact—the total set of interrelated environmental exposures throughout the life course in relation to health outcomes.

as the authors note, “although individual genetic variants themselves convey a small increase in risk, aggregating these small effects over the genome shows that their joint effect can be substantial for various complex diseases. exposome-wide study designs may provide similar advancements in the field of epidemiology.”

important findings to highlight for the public and the medical community include:

environmental factors explained 17 per cent of the variation in risk of death, compared to less than two per cent explained by genetic predisposition (as we understand it at present)
of the 25 independent environmental factors identified, smoking, socioeconomic status, physical activity and living conditions had the most impact on mortality and biological aging
smoking was associated with 21 diseases; socioeconomic factors such as household income, home ownership and employment status were associated with 19 diseases, and physical activity was associated with 17 diseases
23 of the factors identified are modifiable
early life exposures, including body weight at 10 years and maternal smoking around birth, were shown to influence aging and risk of premature death 30 to 80 years later
environmental exposures had a greater effect on diseases of the lung, heart and liver, while genetic risk dominated for dementias and breast cancer.

the authors used a unique measure of aging, calling it a new “aging clock,” to monitor how rapidly people are aging using blood protein levels. this way, they could link environmental exposures that predict early mortality with biological aging. the technique has been shown to detect age-related changes in the uk biobank and in two other large cohort studies from china and finland.

understanding and mitigating the risk of chronic disease

keep in mind as well that heart disease is a leading cause of death and hospitalization in canada. as the university of ottawa heart institute points out, the most common form of heart disease is coronary artery disease, which results from atherosclerosis, also referred to as hardening (and narrowing) of the arteries. reducing risk factors for heart disease, like smoking, high blood pressure, high stress, diabetes and high cholesterol, also reduces the risk of death from other chronic diseases.

professor cornelia van duijn, st cross professor of epidemiology at oxford population heath and senior author of the paper, told oxford news, “while genes play a key role in brain conditions and some cancers, our findings highlight opportunities to mitigate the risks of chronic diseases of the lung, heart and liver which are leading causes of disability and death globally. the early life exposures are particularly important as they show that environmental factors accelerate aging early in life but leave ample opportunity to prevent long-lasting diseases and early death.”

the study results can also be foundational for making individual life changes and policy changes to improve socioeconomic conditions, reduce smoking, or promote physical activity.

as professor bryan williams, chief scientific and medical officer at the british heart foundation, told oxford news, “your income, postcode and background shouldn’t determine your chances of living a long and healthy life. but this pioneering study reinforces that this is the reality for far too many people.

“we have long known that risk factors such as smoking impact our heart and circulatory health, but this new research emphasizes just how great the opportunity is to influence our chances of developing health problems, including cardiovascular disease and dying prematurely.”

karen hawthorne

karen hawthorne worked for six years as a digital editor for the national post, contributing articles on health, business, culture and travel for affiliated newspapers across canada. she now writes from her home office in toronto and takes breaks to bounce with her son on the backyard trampoline and walk bingo, her bull terrier.

lifestyle vs. genes: research says daily habits have bigger impact on health and aging

new research from oxford population health builds on evidence that taking responsibility for our health has far more impact than our genes.

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lifestyle vs. genes: research says daily habits have bigger impact on health and aging

new research from oxford population health builds on evidence that taking responsibility for our health has far more impact than our genes.

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