What are risk factors?

What are risk factors?

• A. Biological causes that directly produce disease
• B. Factors that increase probability that a disease will occur, such as heredity, age, and lifestyle
• C. Conditions that guarantee disease occurrence
• D. Treatments that cure disease

Answer: (B)

Risk factors are factors that increase the probability that a disease will occur, rather than directly causing it. They can be non-modifiable like heredity or age, or modifiable such as smoking, poor diet, or lack of exercise. These factors help identify who is at higher risk and guide prevention and screening efforts. They do not guarantee disease—someone can have risk factors and never develop the condition, while someone without them can still be affected. This distinguishes risk factors from direct causes, and from treatments or guarantees of disease.

Risk factors are factors that increase the probability that a disease will occur, rather than directly causing it. They can be non-modifiable like heredity or age, or modifiable such as smoking, poor diet, or lack of exercise. These factors help identify who is at higher risk and guide prevention and screening efforts. They do not guarantee disease—someone can have risk factors and never develop the condition, while someone without them can still be affected. This distinguishes risk factors from direct causes, and from treatments or guarantees of disease.