May 9, 2024 – Were you born with family genes that predict a short life? Do not be afraid; it turns out that having such genes is not a death blow, but an opportunity.
In fact, new findings suggest that adopting and sticking to a combination of lifestyle changes may be one of the key ways to defy these “bad” family genes.
The study, that one was published at the end of April, it looked at the combined effect of lifestyle and genetics on human lifespan, based on data from more than 350,000 people of European descent who were followed for an average of 13 years.
After dividing the people in the study into three groups based on predicted lifespan (long, medium and short), the researchers found that those with a high genetic risk for a short lifespan had a 21% increased risk of premature death, compared to those at low genetic risk regardless of lifestyle. In addition, people with lifestyle habits that were considered unhealthy had an increased risk of dying prematurely by 78%. But following a healthy lifestyle appeared to change genetic chances by as much as 62% and add 5.2 years to life.
“We identified an optimal lifestyle combination of four lifestyle factors that provided better benefits for extending human lifespan: no smoking, regular physical activity, adequate sleep duration, and a healthy diet,” said Xue Li, PhD, co-author of the study. professor of big data and health sciences at Zhejiang University School of Medicine in Hangzhou, China. “Our advice is to focus on building and sticking to healthy habits, regardless of what your genes say.”
The early bird gets the worm
For the study, the researchers used an index called the polygenic risk score (PRS) to arrive at a person’s overall genetic tendency to live a short or long life. The score combines multiple changes in DNA (also called variants) that affect life expectancy. Li said using this tool with screening and genetic counseling could help people make informed decisions about their health.
But it can be difficult to emulate this approach; not only is the PRS not part of routine clinical practice, but genetic counseling is not routinely offered. And testing through private companies can be expensive. But take courage; there are still many steps you can take.
“There’s a tremendous amount of literature that has looked at lifestyle and longevity and genes and longevity,” says Pam Factor-Litvak, PhD, professor of epidemiology at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health in New York City. She said gene expression can be changed by environmental factors (for example, smoking or diet). Factor-Litvak also explained that markers of healthy aging called telomeres (DNA and protein structure responsible for cell division) are also influenced by lifestyle factors. A healthy lifestyle lengthens telomeres and increases a cell’s lifespan and ability to divide, and an unhealthy lifestyle shortens them, causing cells to die and tissues to age.
“The sooner you start a healthy lifestyle, the better off you will be,” she said.
According to Factor-Litvak, the cutoff used in the study was 40 years, with findings showing that people with good longevity genes and healthy lifestyle habits had an average gain of 6.69 years in life expectancy, compared to people with poor longevity genes and unfavorable lifestyles. to use.
But older adults can still benefit from it; like dominoes, the effects of lifestyle changes add up.
William Samuel Yancy Jr., MD, an internist and medical director of the Duke Lifestyle and Weight Management Center in Durham, NC, said he treats many people in their 70s and 80s who begin to feel better and get stronger as they add weight. one of the four lifestyle factors mentioned in the study: healthy eating.
“They are more energetic, become stronger and are less likely to suffer injuries or falls; you get pretty immediate benefits,” he said. “And obviously there are some long-term benefits over the next few years, depending on the types of changes they make.”
Yancy also said that as people get older, they can make their health a priority, allowing them to continue living a healthier lifestyle.
Selvi Rajagopal, MD, MPH, assistant professor of medicine at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and an obesity medicine specialist in Baltimore, said she has also had older patients who have benefited from lifestyle changes, especially when it comes to strength and resistance training. “We know that falls are one of the leading risk factors for premature death,” she says.
Bad behavior goes together
One bad habit tends to lead to another, which leads to another, and so on.
“That’s one reason why the combination of the big four – smoking, physical activity, sleep and healthy diet – is greater than the individual effects,” says Factor-Litvak.
The study authors called those for habits “the optimal lifestyle combination.”
It is striking that, according to the research results, these big four also offer better benefits for a longer lifespan than other combinations. But just as bad behavior goes together, so does healthy behavior.
“When people lose 10% to 15% of their original body weight, they typically begin to experience significant improvements in their mobility and joint function. And so they feel more inclined to engage in higher levels of physical activity, where there is a really positive cascade effect,” Rajagopal said.
The challenge is that few people can maintain a composed healthy lifestyle like the one tested in the study. “My memory is that about 25% of people are doing all of these healthy lifestyle practices at the same time,” says Yancy. To achieve that goal, there may be something to be gained by starting small.
“It is unrealistic and unsustainable for someone in modern times with many life commitments and stressors to do all the things right. Instead, start with a few small, meaningful, actionable items that you can do. Then make it part of who you are (it usually takes eight to 10 weeks to make it a habit),” says Rajagopal.
Than? “Once you get the hang of it, put a checkbox on the next thing and make sure you have an accountability partner who can walk through this journey with you,” she said.