making healthy food choices and staying active may prevent the disease from developing.
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3. Cancer
According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), having a family member who was diagnosed with breast, ovarian, uterine, or colorectal cancer increases your risk for these cancers. Having two or more relatives, on your mother’s or father’s side, with any of these cancers increases your risk even more.
Environmental and lifestyle factors like smoking and exposure to radiation can increase your risk for cancer as well.
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4. Sickle Cell Anemia
Sickle cell anemia is a genetic mutation of the body’s red blood cells. It is purely a hereditary disease.
According to the CDC, 1 in every 365 Blacks are diagnosed with sickle cell disease.
The sickle cell trait is carried in 1 out of every 13 Blacks. Many who carry the trait are not aware until they give birth to a baby that has sickle cell disease. Knowing your health history and your partner’s health history can help you in making important decisions about family planning.
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5. Obesity
Obesity is a risk factor for other conditions like heart disease and diabetes. Research has shown that there may be only a small hereditary component in obesity.
However, obesity does tend to show up in families. If your parents were obese, it’s likely that they impacted your food and lifestyle choices. Acknowledgment of a family history of obesity can help you break the cycle of unhealthy life choices.
