What is a Risk Factor?

Risk factors are traits or habits that make you more likely to develop a disease. Some women have more risk factors for heart disease than others do. Some of these can't be changed—a family history of heart-related problems, for example. But others can be changed.

The three major risk factors that you can do something about are cigarette smoking, high blood pressure, and high blood cholesterol. Other risk factors, such as overweight, diabetes, and physical inactivity, are also controllable to some extent. Although growing older is a risk factor that can't be changed, other risks can be reduced at any age.