The study, published in the journal PLOS One, also discovered 392 proteins associated with an increased risk of death within a 5-year timeframe and a further 377 proteins associated with dying within 10 years, even when adjusting for health and lifestyle factors, such as smoking or pre-existing disease diagnoses. Proteins perform a wide range of essential functions in the body and are vital for growth, development, and the structure of every cell.

Using data from the UK Biobank, scientists analyzed blood protein profiles from over 38,000 middle-aged and older adults, some of whom had suffered non-accidental death, within a 5- or 10-year period after blood samples were taken. The aim of the study was to determine if the risk for early non-accidental mortality is reflected by levels of circulating blood proteins.