Extending life is real: what really affects longevity

The authors of the paper analyzed data from 500,000 people collected in a British biobank. The study took into account medical parameters, genetic information, level of physical activity, living conditions and even childhood factors, such as height at age 10. Some of the participants also had changes in blood proteins studied to determine their biological age – the actual wear and tear on the body, which can differ from the number of years lived.

It turned out that environmental factors affected life expectancy 8 times more than genetics. Smoking, level of physical activity, financial status and living conditions had the greatest impact. For example, children whose mothers smoked during pregnancy lived shorter lives on average. And high height at age 10 was unexpectedly associated with shorter life expectancy, although the exact reasons for this are not yet clear.

While heredity does influence the risks of some diseases, such as cancer and dementia, lifestyle is the final word. Environment, nutrition, stress levels and social conditions are proving to be powerful tools for prolonging life. This is particularly evident for heart, lung and liver diseases – here external factors play a decisive role.

Unexpectedly, the researchers did not find a clear link between diet and aging processes at the molecular level. However, this may be due to the fact that the participants filled out the questionnaires themselves and the data was only collected once. In any case, numerous scientific papers have already confirmed that a healthy diet helps prevent chronic diseases and increase longevity.

While some factors, such as income level or access to medicine, are not solely up to us, the study’s key finding is inspiring: longevity is largely determined by our decisions. How we move, what we eat and the environment in which we live have a far greater impact than hereditary predispositions. So it is not only the present, but also the future that is in our hands.