Know Your Family Health History

Your doctor may have asked you for your family health history, but do you know why?

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says a family's health history, spanning at least three generations, can:

1. Help determine your own risk of health conditions, such as cancer, diabetes or heart disease.
2. Your risk of developing a chronic condition is higher if a close family member has had it.
3. You can't affect your family's medical history, but you can affect your own health by not smoking, exercising and by eating healthier foods.