Know your family medical history: your health could depend on it, and so could the well-being of your children, doctors say

Most people have a parent or grandparent who suffered from a chronic disease – cancer, heart disease or diabetes; this could make it more likely you will too

Your doctor can check for signs of them. If there is a rare genetic disease in your family, a test can show if you carry it and could pass it to your children

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Knowing one’s family health history allows a person to take steps to reduce his or her risk of chronic disease. Photo: Shutterstock

Published: 7:15pm, 6 Mar 2022

When you visit a doctor, you usually answer questions about your extended family’s health. What conditions do your parents suffer from? Did your grandparents have chronic illnesses?

The answers are helpful in safeguarding your own health – and that of your family members.

Most people have a family health history of at least one chronic disease, such as cancer, heart disease, or diabetes. My maternal grandmother suffered from macular degeneration, which causes retinal damage and vision loss, so I know I need to be mindful of this. My paternal grandmother suffered from high blood pressure – so I monitor my own.

I cannot change my genetic make-up, but knowing these two facts about two women whose DNA I share is important.

Family history can be used as a diagnostic tool and help guide decisions about genetic testing. Photo: Shutterstock

Often, good lifestyle choices can reduce your vulnerability to the diseases other family members have – and often not just because you share a genetic map; you may share lifestyle choices and habits, and even environment.