May 9, 2024 – Were you born with a family gene that predicts a short lifespan? Fear not; it turns out that having such a gene is not a harbinger of death, but a chance.
In fact, new findings suggest that adopting a combination of lifestyle changes and sticking with them may be one of the most important ways to combat these „bad“ family genes. I am.
The research is Published In late April, researchers looked at the combined impact of lifestyle and genetics on human longevity, based on records from more than 350,000 people of European descent who were followed for an average of 13 years.
The researchers divided study participants into three groups based on expected life expectancy (long, intermediate, and short) and found that those with a high genetic risk for short lifespans were at greater risk of dying early than those without. They found an increase of 21%. Low genetic risk, regardless of lifestyle. Additionally, people with lifestyle habits considered unhealthy had a 78% increased risk of premature death. However, if you practice a healthy lifestyle, your genetic odds will change by as much as 62% and your life expectancy will increase by 5.2 years.
„We have identified an optimal lifestyle combination of four lifestyle factors that have a better effect on extending human lifespan: current smoking cessation, regular physical activity, sufficient sleep time, and It's a healthy diet,“ said study co-author Dr. Xue Li. Professor of Big Data and Health Sciences, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China. „Our advice is to focus on building healthy habits and sticking to them, no matter what your genes say.“
Early risers beat bugs
In this study, the researchers used a metric called the polygenic risk score (PRS) to derive a person's overall genetic tendency to live a shorter or longer lifespan. This score combines multiple changes in your DNA (called variants) that affect life expectancy. Lee said the tool could be used in conjunction with screening and genetic counseling to help people make informed decisions about their health.
However, this approach can be difficult to imitate. Not only is PRS not part of routine clinical practice, genetic counseling is also not routinely provided. Testing by private companies can also be expensive. But take heart. There are still many steps you can take.
„There's a huge amount of literature looking at lifestyle and longevity, genes and longevity,“ said Dr. Pam Factor-Litvak, a professor of epidemiology at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health in New York City. She said gene expression can be altered by environmental factors, such as smoking and diet. Factor-Litvak also explained that markers of healthy aging called telomeres (DNA and protein structures involved in cell division) are also influenced by lifestyle factors. A healthy lifestyle lengthens telomeres, extending the lifespan and ability of cells to divide, whereas an unhealthy lifestyle shortens telomeres, causing cells to die and tissues to age.
„The sooner you start living a healthy lifestyle, the better off you will be,“ she said.
Factor-Litvak points out that the cutoff used in the study was 40 years, meaning that people with good longevity genes and healthy lifestyle habits are more likely to have bad longevity genes and unfavorable lifestyle habits. Research shows that life expectancy increases by 6.69 years compared to people. Habit.
But even older people can benefit. Like dominoes, the effects of lifestyle changes add up.
Dr. William Samuel Yancey Jr., an internist and medical director of Duke Lifestyle and Weight Management Center in Durham, North Carolina, treats many people in their 70s and 80s who find that when they exercise, He said he felt better and stronger. Healthy eating is one of his four lifestyle factors listed in the study.
„They become more energetic, stronger, and less likely to get injured and fall. The benefits are immediate,“ he said. “And obviously, depending on what changes you make, there are long-term benefits over the next several years.”
Yancey also said that as people get older, they are able to prioritize their health, which can help them stick to a healthier lifestyle.
Selvi Rajagopal, M.D., MPH, assistant professor of medicine at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and an obesity medicine expert in Baltimore, says he has also experienced older patients who have benefited from lifestyle changes, especially improved strength and resistance. Ta. training. „We know that falls are one of the major risk factors for premature death,“ she says.
bad behavior leads to a chain reaction
One bad habit tends to lead to another, which leads to another.
„That's one reason why the combination of the four major factors – smoking, physical activity, sleep and healthy eating – has a greater effect than any of them individually,“ Factor-Litvak said.
The study authors call these habits the „optimal lifestyle combination.“
Remarkably, the study results showed that these big four had longer lifespans and better effects than other combinations. But just as bad behaviors go together, so do healthy behaviors.
“Typically, when people lose 10% to 15% of their initial body weight, they begin to experience significant improvements in their mobility and joint function. As such, they tend to engage in higher levels of physical activity, where they It really has a positive knock-on effect,” said Rajagopal.
The challenge is that few people are able to sustain a multi-disciplinary healthy lifestyle like the one tested in this study. “My recollection is that about 25 percent of people do all of these healthy lifestyle practices at the same time,” Yancey said. To that end, you may be able to gain something by starting small.
„For modern humans, with so many life commitments and stresses, it's unrealistic and unsustainable to do everything right. Instead, there are small, meaningful, actionable items you can do. List a few. And make it a part of yourself (it usually takes eight to 10 weeks to form a habit),“ said Rajagopal.
after that? „Once you've done that, create a checkbox to do the next thing and create an accountability partner to walk this journey with you,“ she said.