Key Point

• If you have a family health history of a chronic disease such as cancer, heart disease, or diabetes, you are more likely to get that disease yourself.
• Knowing your family health history risk can help you—if you act on it.
• Share your family health history with your healthcare provider, who can help you take steps to prevent disease and catch it early if it develops.
• Finding disease early can often mean better health in the long run.

Having a family health history of a disease doesn't mean that you or your family members will definitely get it. Knowing about your family health history of a disease can motivate you to take steps to lower your chances of getting the disease. You can't change your family health history, but you can change unhealthy behaviors, such as smoking, not exercising or being active, and poor eating habits.

Talk with your healthcare provider about steps that you can take, including whether you should consider early screening for the disease. If you have a family health history of disease, you may have the most to gain from lifestyle changes and screening tests.

www.cdc.gov