{"id":326861,"date":"2026-02-08T14:15:08","date_gmt":"2026-02-08T14:15:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/326861\/"},"modified":"2026-02-08T14:15:08","modified_gmt":"2026-02-08T14:15:08","slug":"scientists-find-surprising-predictor-of-how-long-youll-live","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/326861\/","title":{"rendered":"Scientists Find Surprising Predictor of How Long You\u2019ll Live"},"content":{"rendered":"<ul data-node-id=\"0\" class=\"css-kw9lqy emevuu60\">\n<li data-node-id=\"0.0\">Scientists say they have found a big indicator of how long you\u2019ll live. <\/li>\n<li data-node-id=\"0.1\">The data suggest that genetics may be the biggest influence on lifespan.<\/li>\n<li data-node-id=\"0.2\">Experts stress that a healthy lifestyle still matters.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p data-journey-content=\"true\" data-node-id=\"2\" class=\"css-6wxqfj emevuu60\">Lifestyle factors play a large role in living a long and healthy life, but scientists say new research may have found a big indicator of how long you\u2019ll live.<\/p>\n<p data-journey-content=\"true\" data-node-id=\"3\" class=\"css-6wxqfj emevuu60\">The study, which was published in the journal <a href=\"https:\/\/www.science.org\/doi\/10.1126\/science.adz1187\" target=\"_blank\" data-vars-ga-outbound-link=\"https:\/\/www.science.org\/doi\/10.1126\/science.adz1187\" data-vars-ga-ux-element=\"Hyperlink\" data-vars-ga-call-to-action=\"Science,\" data-node-id=\"3.1.0\" class=\"body-link css-1xnf0nh emevuu60\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Science,<\/a> analyzed lifespan and genetics in individual sets of identical and fraternal twins across Denmark, Sweden, and the U.S. They then compared how well those factors matched across many sets of twins. <\/p>\n<p data-journey-content=\"true\" data-node-id=\"4\" class=\"css-6wxqfj emevuu60\">Because older records didn\u2019t clearly state what people died from, the researchers had to estimate which deaths were caused by outside factors (like accidents or disease) and separate them from natural, internal causes. Researchers found that death rates stayed steady between ages 20 and 40, then increased quickly as people aged. Evenmore, deaths caused by outside factors rise with age, but more slowly than deaths caused by internal factors like aging or genetics. <\/p>\n<p data-journey-content=\"true\" data-node-id=\"6\" class=\"css-6wxqfj emevuu60\">After crunching the data, the researchers found that genes may determine up to 55% of your lifespan\u2014more than double previous estimates. The rest of your lifespan likely stems from environmental influences like lifestyle and healthcare access, along with random changes and modifications to your genes, the researchers said. <\/p>\n<p data-journey-content=\"true\" data-node-id=\"7\" class=\"css-6wxqfj emevuu60\"><a href=\"https:\/\/weizmann.elsevierpure.com\/en\/persons\/ben-shenhar\/\" target=\"_blank\" data-vars-ga-outbound-link=\"https:\/\/weizmann.elsevierpure.com\/en\/persons\/ben-shenhar\/\" data-vars-ga-ux-element=\"Hyperlink\" data-vars-ga-call-to-action=\"Ben Shenhar\" data-node-id=\"7.0\" class=\"body-link css-1xnf0nh emevuu60\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Ben Shenhar<\/a>, lead study author and researcher on the physics of aging at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Rehovot, Israel, says the researcher discovered this by chance while tinkering with a mathematical model. <br data-node-id=\"7.2\"\/><\/p>\n<p data-journey-content=\"true\" data-node-id=\"8\" class=\"body-tip css-txvov emevuu60\"><strong data-node-id=\"8.0\">Meet the experts<\/strong>: <a href=\"https:\/\/medicine.buffalo.edu\/faculty\/profile.html?ubit=legede\" target=\"_blank\" data-vars-ga-outbound-link=\"https:\/\/medicine.buffalo.edu\/faculty\/profile.html?ubit=legede\" data-vars-ga-ux-element=\"Hyperlink\" data-vars-ga-call-to-action=\"Leonard E. Egede, M.D.,\" data-node-id=\"8.2\" class=\"body-link css-1xnf0nh emevuu60\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Leonard E. Egede, M.D.,<\/a> chair of the Department of Medicine at the University at Buffalo, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences; <a href=\"https:\/\/weizmann.elsevierpure.com\/en\/persons\/ben-shenhar\/\" target=\"_blank\" data-vars-ga-outbound-link=\"https:\/\/weizmann.elsevierpure.com\/en\/persons\/ben-shenhar\/\" data-vars-ga-ux-element=\"Hyperlink\" data-vars-ga-call-to-action=\"Ben Shenhar\" data-node-id=\"8.4\" class=\"body-link css-1xnf0nh emevuu60\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Ben Shenhar<\/a>, lead study author and researcher on the physics of aging at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Rehovot, Israel; <a href=\"https:\/\/mdmercy.com\/Find-a-Doctor\/Janet-OMahony-MD\" target=\"_blank\" data-vars-ga-outbound-link=\"https:\/\/mdmercy.com\/Find-a-Doctor\/Janet-OMahony-MD\" data-vars-ga-ux-element=\"Hyperlink\" data-vars-ga-call-to-action=\"Janet O\u2019Mahony, M.D.\" data-node-id=\"8.6\" class=\"body-link css-1xnf0nh emevuu60\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Janet O\u2019Mahony, M.D.<\/a>, internist at Mercy Medical Center in Baltimore, MD; <a href=\"https:\/\/cancercenter.gwu.edu\/profile\/leigh-frame\" target=\"_blank\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/cancercenter.gwu.edu\/profile\/leigh-frame&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1770396036368000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2uwVstp4viUJXPds28gaUM\" data-vars-ga-outbound-link=\"https:\/\/cancercenter.gwu.edu\/profile\/leigh-frame\" data-vars-ga-ux-element=\"Hyperlink\" data-vars-ga-call-to-action=\"Leigh Frame, Ph.D\" data-node-id=\"8.8\" class=\"body-link css-1xnf0nh emevuu60\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Leigh Frame, Ph.D<\/a>., executive director of the Office of Integrative Medicine and Health at George Washington University<\/p>\n<p data-journey-content=\"true\" data-node-id=\"9\" class=\"css-6wxqfj emevuu60\">The findings sound like bad news for those looking for actionable ways to help prolong their life, but experts say that\u2019s not the case. Here\u2019s why.<\/p>\n<p><strong data-node-id=\"10.0\">Why do genes matter so much?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p data-journey-content=\"true\" data-node-id=\"11\" class=\"css-6wxqfj emevuu60\">There are several reasons for this. \u201cMuch of it is disease risk,\u201d Shenhar says. \u201cWe include an analysis of heritability to die from cancer vs. cardiovascular disease vs dementia. Death from dementia is most heritable, then cardiovascular, and finally cancer.\u201d<\/p>\n<p data-journey-content=\"true\" data-node-id=\"12\" class=\"css-6wxqfj emevuu60\">Twin studies show that genetics is responsible for about half of the variance in almost all human traits, including personality traits, Shenhar says. \u201cIn that sense, lifespan is not an outlier\u2014rather, it falls within the fold of what we already know about genetic influence,\u201d he says. <\/p>\n<p data-journey-content=\"true\" data-node-id=\"13\" class=\"css-6wxqfj emevuu60\">But Shenhar notes that one or two genes don\u2019t tell the whole story. \u201cLifespan\u2026is influenced by hundreds, if not thousands, of genes\u2014not a select few,\u201d he says. <\/p>\n<p data-journey-content=\"true\" data-node-id=\"14\" class=\"css-6wxqfj emevuu60\">Genes also don\u2019t tell the whole story, according to <a href=\"https:\/\/cancercenter.gwu.edu\/profile\/leigh-frame\" target=\"_blank\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/cancercenter.gwu.edu\/profile\/leigh-frame&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1770396036368000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2uwVstp4viUJXPds28gaUM\" data-vars-ga-outbound-link=\"https:\/\/cancercenter.gwu.edu\/profile\/leigh-frame\" data-vars-ga-ux-element=\"Hyperlink\" data-vars-ga-call-to-action=\"Leigh Frame, Ph.D\" data-node-id=\"14.1\" class=\"body-link css-1xnf0nh emevuu60\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Leigh Frame, Ph.D<\/a>., executive director of the Office of Integrative Medicine and Health at George Washington University. \u201cGenes do not operate in isolation,\u201d she says. \u201cThey set a range of possibilities rather than a fixed outcome, influencing how individuals respond to environmental exposures, lifestyle behaviors, and aging itself.\u201d<\/p>\n<p data-journey-content=\"true\" data-node-id=\"15\" class=\"css-6wxqfj emevuu60\">The study isn\u2019t perfect: It used a Scandinavian twin registry, which means the results may not apply to people from other populations, points out <a href=\"https:\/\/medicine.buffalo.edu\/faculty\/profile.html?ubit=legede\" target=\"_blank\" data-vars-ga-outbound-link=\"https:\/\/medicine.buffalo.edu\/faculty\/profile.html?ubit=legede\" data-vars-ga-ux-element=\"Hyperlink\" data-vars-ga-call-to-action=\"Leonard E. Egede, M.D.,\" data-node-id=\"15.1\" class=\"body-link css-1xnf0nh emevuu60\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Leonard E. Egede, M.D.,<\/a> chair of the Department of Medicine at the University at Buffalo, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. <\/p>\n<p><strong data-node-id=\"16.0\">What might this mean for lifestyle factors?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p data-journey-content=\"true\" data-node-id=\"17\" class=\"css-6wxqfj emevuu60\">It\u2019s easy to assume that the study is suggesting that all that time you\u2019ve spent eating healthy and going to the gym isn\u2019t all that important. Experts say that\u2019s just not true. \u201cLongevity is a combination of genes, lifestyle, and environmental factors,\u201d Dr. Egede says. <\/p>\n<p data-journey-content=\"true\" data-node-id=\"18\" class=\"css-6wxqfj emevuu60\">Plus, even if lifespan is about 50% due to genetics, that still leaves an additional 50% that\u2019s due to other things, Shenhar says. \u201cThat\u2019s where all the usual suspects come in\u2014exercise, diet, social relations, environment, and so on,\u201d he says. <\/p>\n<p data-journey-content=\"true\" data-node-id=\"19\" class=\"css-6wxqfj emevuu60\">Dr. Egede agrees. \u201cPoor lifestyle is still an important driver of morbidity and mortality,\u201d he says. \u201cHealthy diet, moderate exercise, stress management, and not smoking are key lifestyle modifications that should still be encouraged.\u201d<\/p>\n<p data-journey-content=\"true\" data-node-id=\"20\" class=\"css-6wxqfj emevuu60\">Following a healthy lifestyle is likely even more important as you age, Shenhar says. \u201cFor example, there is not much difference in mortality between 30-year-olds who drink, smoke, and live wildly, and those who live well,\u201d he says. \u201cThe opposite is true of 80-year-olds. Our environment and lifestyle become more and more important for our health and survival as we age.\u201d <\/p>\n<p data-journey-content=\"true\" data-node-id=\"21\" class=\"css-6wxqfj emevuu60\">It\u2019s also crucial to visit your doctor regularly to stay on top of any health conditions that may pop up, whether due to your genetics or lifestyle, says <a href=\"https:\/\/mdmercy.com\/Find-a-Doctor\/Janet-OMahony-MD\" target=\"_blank\" data-vars-ga-outbound-link=\"https:\/\/mdmercy.com\/Find-a-Doctor\/Janet-OMahony-MD\" data-vars-ga-ux-element=\"Hyperlink\" data-vars-ga-call-to-action=\"Janet O\u2019Mahony, M.D.\" data-node-id=\"21.1\" class=\"body-link css-1xnf0nh emevuu60\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Janet O\u2019Mahony, M.D.<\/a>, an internist at Mercy Medical Center in Baltimore, MD. \u201cAccess to quality primary care [may] diagnose and treat high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, and high cholesterol,\u201d she says. \u201cAccess to cancer screening tests like mammograms and colonoscopies is also felt to save lives.\u201d<\/p>\n<p data-journey-content=\"true\" data-node-id=\"22\" class=\"css-6wxqfj emevuu60\">While genes lay the foundation, lifestyle factors play a big role in your health outcomes, too. &#8220;Even when genetic contributions to lifespan are significant\u2014as much as half according to this research\u2014lifestyle factors remain critically important, especially for healthspan, meaning the years lived in good physical and cognitive health,&#8221; Frame says. &#8220;In practical terms, lifestyle choices can either amplify genetic vulnerabilities or help buffer against them. While healthy behaviors may not override genetics entirely, they strongly influence how well people age and how long they live free from disease and disability.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p><strong data-node-id=\"23.0\">The bottom line<\/strong><\/p>\n<p data-journey-content=\"true\" data-node-id=\"24\" class=\"css-6wxqfj emevuu60\">Shenhar stresses that you shouldn\u2019t throw in the towel on making healthy lifestyle choices based on these findings. \u201cThe message should 100% not be one of genetic determinism,\u201d he says. \u201cI don\u2019t think there are any immediate implications on the personal, decision-making level of how to live one\u2019s life.\u201d<\/p>\n<p data-journey-content=\"true\" data-node-id=\"25\" class=\"css-6wxqfj emevuu60\">But Shenhar says that the study suggests that we have a lot more to learn about the genetics of aging. \u201cIf we can understand what biological pathways underlie the favorable genetic profiles that enable 20% of centenarians to reach age 100 without any serious illnesses, for example, then that could hopefully in the future better guide and fuel research into longevity drugs and interventions,\u201d he says. <\/p>\n<p data-journey-content=\"true\" data-node-id=\"26\" class=\"css-6wxqfj emevuu60\">Until then, Dr. Egede recommends sticking with the lifestyle choices that have been proven to support good health. \u201cYou can\u2019t control your genes, but you can modify your lifestyle,\u201d he says. \u201cFocus on lifestyle modification.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Scientists say they have found a big indicator of how long you\u2019ll live. The data suggest that genetics&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":326862,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_share_on_mastodon":"0"},"categories":[78],"tags":[153417,153418,156967,3579,156966,343,18,135,19,17,590,156965],"class_list":["post-326861","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-health","tag-collection-health-news","tag-collection-health-studies","tag-collection-longevity","tag-content-type-news-explainer","tag-contentid-ae6df2e2-d9ef-4e1a-b3b6-77be552f2cd5","tag-displaytype-standard-article","tag-eire","tag-health","tag-ie","tag-ireland","tag-locale-us","tag-shorttitle-study-this-may-predict-how-long-youll-live"],"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@ie\/116035434800525761","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/326861","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=326861"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/326861\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/326862"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=326861"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=326861"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=326861"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}