

	Recording Your Family Health History Did you know that learning about your family health history could be the most important tradition you make this Thanksgiving? Not only can learning about your family health history be fun, but for some families it could save their lives. Health problems like diabetes, asthma, cancer, and heart disease can tend to run in families. When close family members have the same health problem or develop a problem at a younger age than expected, this can increase other family members' risk of developing the problem. By knowing your family health history, you can make healthy lifestyle and screening choices to lower your risk. For example: Diabetes can tend to run in families. If you have a close family member with diabetes, you may have an increased risk of developing diabetes too. This is because we share more than just our genetics with our families. We also share our environments, lifestyles, habits (diet and exercise), culture, traditions, social support systems, and more. All of these factors contribute to our family health history and our risk for developing diabetes. Use the Family Health History Toolkit this Thanksgiving to help you talk about your family health history, write down what you learn, and then share it with your doctor and family members. You can get a free Toolkit by visiting http://health.utah.gov/genomics or calling the Check your Health hotline at 1-888-222-2542.

Recording Your Family Health History

Did you know that learning about your family health history could be the most important tradition you make this Thanksgiving? Not only can learning about your family health history be fun, but for some families it could save their lives.

Health problems like diabetes, asthma, cancer, and heart disease can tend to run in families. When close family members have the same health problem or develop a problem at a younger age than expected, this can increase other family members' risk of developing the problem. By knowing your family health history, you can make healthy lifestyle and screening choices to lower your risk.

For example: Diabetes can tend to run in families. If you have a close family member with diabetes, you may have an increased risk of developing diabetes too. This is because we share more than just our genetics with our families. We also share our environments, lifestyles, habits (diet and exercise), culture, traditions, social support systems, and more. All of these factors contribute to our family health history and our risk for developing diabetes.

Use the Family Health History Toolkit this Thanksgiving to help you talk about your family health history, write down what you learn, and then share it with your doctor and family members.

You can get a free Toolkit by visiting http://health.utah.gov/genomics or calling the Check your Health hotline at 1-888-222-2542.