What is the greatest risk factor for heart disease?
What are the most important protective factors? Some key protective factors you have under your control are • weight control • avoiding tobacco use and secondhand smoke • relaxation or meditation • dealing with stress, depression, and lack of social support • physical activity • proper food choices • genetic factors Most of these, like the lifestyle risk factors, are linked to your way of life. However, some protective factors are inherited. Just as there are genetic causes of high LDL levels, there are families with a history of longevity who inherit low cholesterol and LDL levels. Longevity has also been reported in families with high levels of HDL, the protective fraction of cholesterol. There is considerable evidence from studies of identical twins reared apart to show that the degree of overweight has a strong genetic basis. This also means that the important protective factor of remaining close to one’s ideal body weight has a fairly strong genetic component. In ...