A recent study from Oxford Population Health found that environmental factors play a bigger role in our health than our genes do. The research looked at nearly half a million people from the UK Biobank and focused on 164 different environmental influences and their effects on aging and premature death.
The study revealed that these environmental factors accounted for 17% of the risk of premature death, while genetics only explained less than 2%. Among the factors studied, smoking, socioeconomic status, physical activity, and living conditions were the most influential.
Specifically, smoking was linked to 21 different diseases. Similarly, socioeconomic factors like income, homeownership, and job status connected to 19 diseases, while physical activity related to 17 diseases. Notably, early life experiences, such as body weight at age 10 and whether the mother smoked during pregnancy, were shown to affect health many years later.
The research found that environmental influences had a more significant impact on diseases of the lungs, heart, and liver, while genetics played a larger role in conditions like dementia and breast cancer.
Professor Cornelia van Duijn, the lead researcher, highlighted that changing lifestyle factors can have a profound effect on health. She emphasized that by improving socioeconomic conditions, cutting down on smoking, and encouraging physical activity, we can enhance public health.
This study points out that while individual factors may seem small on their own, their combined effect over time—known as the exposome—can significantly impact premature death rates. Understanding these connections can help shape new strategies for promoting healthier aging and addressing common age-related diseases.
