If something “runs in your family,” how much is genetics and how much is what you learned from them?

Type 2 diabetes runs in my family. Considering it’s a lifestyle disease, how much is influenced by genetics? It’s impossible to know. Maybe the primary cause was obesity, carb-heavy diets or the combination. Can I avoid it by behaving differently?

Maybe osteoporosis, bad hips or bad knees runs in your family. Consider how your family members lived. Were they active or sedentary? In what type of environment did they work? Did they do any strength training as they got older? Are you living (or moving) the same way they did?

You can’t do anything about the genetics you inherited. You are probably more likely to suffer ailments that pop up in the family regularly. On the bright side, nothing is certain. With the right choices, you can improve your chances and might even beat the odds.

If there is a cycle of bad health in your family, what are you doing to change it?