People with parents who live long lives may also have an increase in longevity, a new study suggests.
The research, published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, found that people with at least one parent who lived past age 70 had a 16% increase in longevity.
The data looked at 186,000 people in middle age and followed them for up to eight years. Among the people in the study, those with parents who lived longer had fewer events related to heart disease like heart failure, high blood pressure, stroke and high cholesterol. The risk of death from heart disease was also significantly lower, and people with parents who lived beyond 70 also had a lower risk for cancer. This could mean that people may inherit something from their parents that keeps them living longer, the researchers say.
Get our Health Newsletter. Sign up to receive the latest health and science news, plus answers to wellness questions and expert tips.
Scientists are studying a variety of factors, from genetics to mindset, that determine how long a person lives. The latest study, while not definitive, adds support for some type of genetic effect.
- The Case for Mediocrity
- How Russia Is Recruiting Cubans to Fight in Ukraine
- Paul Hollywood Answers All of Your Questions About The Great British Baking Show
- Meet the 2023 TIME100 Next: the Emerging Leaders Shaping the World
- Oprah and Arthur C. Brooks: How to Separate Work From Your Identity
- How Canada and India's Relationship Crumbled
- You Don’t Have to Like Wrestling to Love Netflix’s Excellent Wrestlers
- The Most Anticipated Books, Movies, TV, and Music of Fall 2023
- Want Weekly Recs on What to Watch, Read, and More? Sign Up for Worth Your Time
