HN Department Overview
What factors tip the balance between health and disease?
lifestyle in modulating health and disease.
You likely know families in which individuals seem to have a high chance of developing a specific type of cancer or heart disease or a neurodegenerative disorder, such as Alzheimer’s disease. This demonstrates that the risk of developing various diseases has a genetic basis. However, it is also recognized that the balance between health and disease is often influenced by the interaction of one’s genes and "environmental" factors, such as diet, physical activity, and other health-related behaviors (e.g., smoking and stress) (Figure 1).
The epidemic of obesity in the United States and many other affluent and even developing countries represents an excellent example of an outcome resulting from the interaction between genetic background and lifestyle. Although mutations in certain genes can cause obesity, it is the combination of genes involved in metabolism and behavior (e.g., over-consumption of foods high in fat, sugar, and calories, and low levels of physical activity) that result in a person becoming overweight or obese. Excess weight, in turn, is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, several types of cancers, high blood pressure, and other secondary complications.
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