Good eating and habits can beat bad genes for heart health
Association between healthy plant-based diet-lifestyle (hPDI-Lifestyle) score and incidence of coronary heart disease, and effect modification by genetic predisposition: a prospective analysis in a population-based cohort
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
People with the worst genes but best habits had lower heart disease risk than people with good genes but poor habits.
Most assume genetic risk is fixed and dominant—but here, lifestyle overpowered genetics entirely in some cases, which contradicts the fatalistic view of inherited disease.
Practical Takeaways
Adopt the hPDI-Lifestyle: eat more fruits, veggies, whole grains, nuts, tea, coffee, and vegetable oils; don’t smoke; get 150+ mins of weekly activity; aim for 6–8 hours of sleep.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
People with the worst genes but best habits had lower heart disease risk than people with good genes but poor habits.
Most assume genetic risk is fixed and dominant—but here, lifestyle overpowered genetics entirely in some cases, which contradicts the fatalistic view of inherited disease.
Practical Takeaways
Adopt the hPDI-Lifestyle: eat more fruits, veggies, whole grains, nuts, tea, coffee, and vegetable oils; don’t smoke; get 150+ mins of weekly activity; aim for 6–8 hours of sleep.
Publication
Journal
The Lancet Regional Health - Europe
Year
2026
Authors
Xiang Jun Wang, T. Voortman, D. Bos, Maryam Kavousi, M. Ghanbari, N. Conrad, Miranda T. Schram, M. Steur
Related Content
Claims (5)
People who eat lots of plants like fruits, veggies, nuts, and whole grains, don’t smoke, stay active, and get just the right amount of sleep are 22% less likely to get heart disease, especially if they stick to this lifestyle really well.
If you're not genetically prone to heart disease, eating mostly plants and living a healthy lifestyle might cut your chance of getting heart disease by about 20% compared to someone who doesn't follow such a lifestyle.
Eating mostly whole, unprocessed plant foods like vegetables, fruits, beans, and whole grains is more important for preventing heart disease than worrying about whether you eat more fat or carbs.
People who eat mostly plants and live healthily are less likely to get heart disease—and this protection is even stronger for people who are genetically more likely to get heart disease anyway.
If you're genetically likely to get heart disease, eating a super healthy plant-based diet and living a healthy lifestyle might cut your risk of having heart disease by almost half compared to others with the same genes who don't eat well.