It is easy to blame our inherited genes for how we age and various health issues. Other factors come into play as well. In fact, University of Oxford researchers led the international study that found lifestyle and environmental factors affect health and aging more than our genes. Their report in the journal Nature Medicine found of the twenty-five independent environmental factors, smoking, physical activity and living conditions had the greatest effect on premature death and biological aging. Twenty-three of those factors are considered modifiable. While genes play a key role in brain conditions, such as dementia, and some cancers, including breast cancer, the study highlights opportunities to reduce risk of chronic diseases of the lung, heart and liver.