Do genes or lifestyle determine your health?
Ask the doctor
Q. What's more important in determining my health: my genes or my lifestyle?For the rare individuals who live to be 100 or older (centenarians), genes appear to be the dominant force in determining longevity. For example, some centenarians are smokers, but they have genes that allow them to overcome smoking's adverse effects. As you might expect, scientists are trying to identify the protective genes that centenarians have.
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About the Author
Anthony L. Komaroff, MD, Editor in Chief, Harvard Health Letter; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing
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