If you know that certain conditions run in your family — such as high blood pressure or Type 2 diabetes — you may worry that no matter what you do, you'll end up with the same health woes. But that’s not necessarily true.

An unhealthy lifestyle is much riskier, accounting for more than 78% of increased risk of dying prematurely, regardless of genetic predisposition.

Genetic predisposition ups the risk of premature death by 22% or less (no matter if you have a healthy or unhealthy lifestyle) compared to people with life-extending genetics.

That’s the conclusion of research published in BMJ Evidence-Based Medicine that looked at more than 350,000 adults. It reveals that certain lifestyle choices — diet and exercise, alcohol and tobacco use, and quality/quantity of sleep — have the greatest influence on longevity.

So don’t get the blues about your genes. Instead, start making positive lifestyle changes. Identify one area of your daily habits that you want to change. Then find a supporting posse.

Go to PsychologyToday.org to find a weight-loss support group.

Get help to stop smoking at Smokefree.gov, and find or start a walking group through meetup.com, which is recommended by the American Heart Association.

Your future starts today.