This study looks at how genetic risk factors and lifestyle factors—in particular, a person’s diet— interact to affect various health traits related to heart disease and diabetes, such as cholesterol levels, blood pressure, and blood sugar. Results are based on data from urban participants from the Young Lives study in Peru, collected in 2022. Understanding the interactions between genetic factors and lifestyle factors is important because it could help guide better nutrition advice to reduce cardiometabolic risk.

Key findings show there was no direct link between genetic risk and health traits such as cholesterol and blood pressure; however, a higher genetic risk combined with a high carbohydrate intake led to lower levels of ‘good cholesterol’ (HDL-C), which has been shown to be linked to cardiovascular diseases. A lower carbohydrate diet helped maintain better ‘good cholesterol’ levels in young people with a high genetic risk.

People with a higher genetic risk for heart disease may benefit from reducing their carbohydrate intake to improve their cholesterol levels. This research shows that personalized dietary recommendations based on genetics could help in the prevention of future health problems. Read the full article in Clinical Nutrition ESPEN