Final answer:
A genetic risk factor is inherited from parents to children, and this is due to the chromosomal basis of inheritance, where 50% of a child's genes are derived from each parent.
Step-by-step explanation:
A genetic risk factor is inherited from the parents and passed to the children. This is because children inherit some characteristics from each parent. Since humans reproduce sexually, 50% of a child's genes come from the mother's egg cell and the remaining 50% from the father's sperm cell. Disorders such as sickle cell anemia are examples of inherited diseases caused by genetic mutations that can be passed down from parent to offspring.
Many human diseases are genetically inherited. In families where some members suffer from a recessive genetic disorder, it is possible for individuals who appear healthy to carry the disease-causing gene and have a risk of passing the disorder to their offspring. Inheritance patterns are predictable, due to the chromosomal basis of inheritance, which explains the transmission of genes from parent to offspring.