Study of 500,000 People Finds Lifestyle Drives Aging More Than Genetics
Updated
Updated · AOL · Aug 3
Study of 500,000 People Finds Lifestyle Drives Aging More Than Genetics
3 articles · Updated · AOL · Aug 3
Summary
Environmental factors explained 17% of variation in death risk, while genetic predisposition accounted for less than 2% in a Nature Medicine study using UK Biobank data from about 500,000 people.
Researchers assessed nearly 165 environmental exposures and genetic risks across 22 major age-related diseases and premature death, finding daily conditions and habits outweighed inherited risk overall.
Household income, socioeconomic status, home ownership, employment and living with a partner ranked among the strongest environmental influences, while smoking, physical activity, sleep and weekly gym visits were key lifestyle factors.
Genes still mattered more for some conditions—notably dementia, breast cancer and ovarian cancer—while lung, heart and liver diseases appeared more shaped by lifestyle and environment.
The study did not reliably assess diet, but its findings suggest biological aging may be more modifiable through behavior and living conditions than family history alone.