Many American families treasure gathering around the Thanksgiving table, and some admittedly dread it. In either case, getting together with relatives for the holiday can have significant long-term health benefits.

“In addition to the cherished pumpkin pie and cranberry relish recipes and those favorite family stories, we can pass down our knowledge about our family health history,” says Robin Schwartz, a certified genetic counselor at the UConn Health Center. “Sharing information can empower our children with the knowledge to be proactive about potential problems, like diabetes, heart disease and certain types of cancer. It’s a powerful preventive medicine tool.”

In 2004, the U.S. Surgeon General declared National Family History Day would be recognized annually on Thanksgiving.

“Holidays can be the only times during the year when extended families are in the same place together, so Thanksgiving is really an ideal time to talk about previous generations – who had health problems, which ailments did they have, and how old were they when they had them,” says Jennifer Stroop, another UConn certified genetic counselor. “Patients who can provide accurate family history to their health care providers are making a major contribution toward their own disease prevention.”

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services offers a free web-based tool called My Family Health Portrait, which helps create a drawing of a family tree and a family health history chart. The chart and the drawing can be printed and shared with family members and health care professionals.

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