But why do those four things matter? The y look simple, but the first one - family history, actually hides a wide range of important influences. If your own family tended to live long, it may be because they were relatively more wealthy, had better housing, access to better food, or -conversely - limited access to food detrimental to health (such as excess animal protein), protection from environmental hazards, the opportunity for work and an adequate income arising from this, and perhaps as a result of the others, some degree of control over their lives.