More reason to blame your parents — they may pass on genes that can shave up to three years off your life.
About two-thirds of the human population have at least one of two gene variants that reduce life expectancy, according to a study published Thursday in the journal Nature Communications.
Researchers at the University of Edinburgh analyzed the genetic material of 152,000 volunteers — using a computer program to scan for DNA that affects a person’s lifespan.
“We looked in particular at two regions already known to be associated with killer diseases,” Dr. Jim Wilson, who works at the university’s Usher Institute of Population Health Sciences and Informatics, told the Irish Times.
They located two clusters — one that is already connected to Alzheimer’s disease and high cholesterol and another that is associated with lung problems.
“These discoveries are the tip of the iceberg,” Wilson said.
About 3 in every 1,000 people inherit both of the variants, which cuts three years off their lives. Those with only one of the genes will lose a year, according to the study.
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