Genetic Risk, Adherence to a Healthy Lifestyle, and Coronary Disease
Authors' conclusion
Across four studies involving 55,685 participants, genetic and lifestyle factors were independently associated with susceptibility to coronary artery disease. Among participants at high genetic risk, a favorable lifestyle was associated with a nearly 50% lower relative risk of coronary artery disease than was an unfavorable lifestyle.
Study context
- Population
- Participants of Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC), Women's Genome Health Study (WGHS) and Malmö Diet and Cancer Study (MDCS) prospective cohorts and the cross-sectional BioImage Study with genotype data
- Participants
- 55,685 participants · 4 studies
- Exposure
- Favorable vs unfavorable lifestyle across genetic risk categories; high vs low genetic risk
- Outcome
- Incident coronary events
Methodological detailsthree prospective cohorts plus one cross-sectional study, polygenic score
- Three prospective cohorts plus one cross-sectional study
- Polygenic score
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Hazard ratio (95% CI)
High genetic risk vs Low genetic risk
1.91(1.75–2.09)
Favorable lifestyle vs Unfavorable lifestyleamong participants at high genetic risk
0.54(0.47–0.63)
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Standardized 10-year incidence of coronary events, high genetic risk
- ARIC: unfavorable vs favorable lifestyle
- 10.7% vs 5.1%
- WGHS: unfavorable vs favorable lifestyle
- 4.6% vs 2.0%
- MDCS: unfavorable vs favorable lifestyle
- 8.2% vs 5.3%
Coronary-artery calcification (BioImage Study)
- Favorable lifestyle associated with significantly less coronary-artery calcification within each genetic risk category
Original publication
Genetic Risk, Adherence to a Healthy Lifestyle, and Coronary Disease. N Engl J Med. Published 13 November 2016. doi:10.
Summarised from the published abstract; every number is checked against it