Lifestyle refers to which of the following?

• A. Behaviors that impact incidence and development of disease, such as diet, physical activity, sexual activity, and use of alcohol, illegal drugs, and cigarettes
• B. Genetic predisposition only
• C. The home environment
• D. Medical history alone

Answer: (A)

Lifestyle refers to the daily behaviors and choices that affect health and disease risk. This includes what you eat and drink, how physically active you are, sexual behaviors, and use of alcohol, illegal drugs, and cigarettes—these are modifiable actions that help determine how likely you are to develop certain diseases. The other options describe factors that aren’t lifestyle: genetic predisposition is inherited, not something you actively do; the home environment can influence health but isn’t itself the set of behaviors people engage in; and medical history reflects past health outcomes, not ongoing lifestyle choices. So the best description is the set of behaviors and substances that directly influence disease incidence and development.