Heart Disease Risk Found In The DNA Can Be Decreased, Research Shows

Risk for heart disease can be found in people's genes. Some people unluckily carry the risk through their DNA. But a new research suggests that healthy lifestyle can switch the heart risk of people.

A healthy lifestyle is a key to reducing the risk of heart disease. A new study coming from 55,000 people helps find the answer. Moderate exercise, eating healthy and not smoking can cut down the genetic risk.

According to New York Times, the director of the Center for Human Genetic Research at Massachusetts General Hospital, Dr. Sekar Kathiresan, said that, "DNA is not destiny; it is not deterministic for this disease. You do have control over the problem, even if you have been dealt a bad genetic hand."

Dr. Kathiresan and the team from the United States and Sweden based their results on the four major studies that include more than 55,000 people. Two of the said studies come from tracking down people for more than 20 years. These include the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities study in the United States and the same study was conducted in Sweden.

The researchers found that as a group, people with the unfortunate genes have twice the risk of heart disease. But, the experts also saw that the risk is cut in half with the people who had a healthy habit.

In line with this, the result also shows that volunteers who had a higher genetic risk and has poor health habits have a 10 percent chance of having a heart attack or same event over 10 years' time. As for those with the untimely genes but underwent healthy habits only have a 5 percent chance.

"That 5 percent risk was within the same ballpark of many people who had a comparatively good genetic profile," said Dr. Kathiresan.

However, the researchers noted that the study has one limitation. Mostly, the participants were white. The results may not be applicable to every group. The scientists want to expand their research to the more racially distinct population.

The study was published online, in New England Journal of Medicine, according to NPR.