14 Lesson 1.2 Key Terms genes segments of DNA that determine the structure and function of a person’s cells and affect individual development, personality, and health risk factors aspects of people’s lives that increase the chance of a disease, injury, or decline in health environment circumstances, objects, or conditions that surround a person in everyday life protective factors aspects of people’s lives that reduce risk and increase the likelihood of optimal health peers people who are similar in age to one another culture beliefs, values, customs, and arts of a group of people Learning Outcomes After studying this lesson, you will be able to • identify factors that can increase or reduce your level of health and wellness. • describe actions you can take to help prevent genetically linked diseases and disorders. • give examples of risk and protective factors within a person’s physical, social, and economic environments. • evaluate how the lifestyle choices you make now can affect your health and wellness in the future. Recognizing Factors That Affect Health and Wellness Graphic Organizer Health and Wellness Risk Factors While you are reading this lesson, think about the important facts you discover and areas you still question. After you finish reading, fill in a T-chart like the one shown. ileezhun/Shutterstock.com Discoveries Questions There are factors that can increase or reduce my level of health and wellness. Some of these factors are within my control. What factors can affect my health and wellness that are not within my control?