A recent paper in the journal Human Kinetics shows that the ratio between physical activity and sedentary activity has a greater impact on lifespan and healthspan than our genetic makeup.

The study was conducted with 5,446 older women who were separated into three groups relative to what was termed their genetic risk factor, or GRS, which was measured by a small selection of single-nucleotide polymorphisms that are well-known to affect longevity.

The authors point out that a sort of layman’s understanding of genetics and their importance in human health and well-being is a poor marker for the truth.

They cite studies which show that genes related to physical fitness had no bearing on the normal association between physical activity and coronary artery disease, and another that showed relationships between physical activity and cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s were not influenced by a person’s APOE-4 status—APOE-4 being a genetic mutation that is known to be commonly present in Alzheimer’s patients.

Perhaps with the advent of gene-modification technology like CRISPR, and the greatly reduced cost of doing genetic analysis along with the extension of this technology to the general population for familial history through products like 23 and Me or Prometheus, more people are spending more time focusing on their genes as a kind of Magic 8 Ball.

Read more: https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/physical-activity-and-sedentary-lifestyle-have-greater-impact-on-lifespan-than-our-genes/