The researchers' next step is to unravel the details of how methylation patterns change in response to lifestyle changes during the life course, so that their assessments can be more informative.
"For example, we want to study how the intensity of current tobacco and alcohol use and cumulative levels of use throughout a lifetime affect methylation, including what happens when a person quits smoking or drinking," Ms. Dogan said. "By clarifying at what point the epigenetic changes become tougher to stop or reverse, we can inform decisions about how best to use the limited public health resources we have.