Lifestyle affects health more than genetics, per new study

The nature vs. nurture debate just got some new data. Human health and aging is significantly more impacted by living conditions and lifestyle choices than genetics, according to a new study published in Nature Medicine.

Data dive

Researchers from Oxford Population Health used data from ~500,000 UK participants to assess their genetic risks for 22 major diseases related to aging and premature death, and to track 25 key environmental factors in the participants’ lives. The scientists also measured how quickly the participants were aging biologically using a novel method involving protein in their blood.

What they found: The data showed environmental factors accounted for ~17% of the variation in risk of death, compared to less than 2% explained by genetic risk factors.

• The study found environmental factors had a greater effect on heart, lung, and liver diseases, while a person’s genes had a greater impact on whether they’d develop breast cancer or a form of dementia.
• Overall, smoking, socioeconomic status, and physical activity had the greatest impact on mortality and biological aging.

💬 Bottom line: While the study has several limitations, like focusing solely on one country, it’s led some researchers to conclude that nurture generally has more of an impact on health and aging than nature.