Eight habits that can extend our lives for decades

Eight healthy habits that may help extend life if adopted by middle-aged people, according to a study presented at the American Dietetic Association’s annual meeting, “Nutrition 2023” in Boston.

Physical activity, freedom from opioid addiction, smoking cessation, stress management, good nutrition, moderate alcohol consumption, good sleep and positive social relationships are keys to increasing life expectancy.

The study used data from the medical records of more than 700,000 veterans ages 40-99 in the United States. Data were collected in the period 2011-2019.

According to the results, men who have adopted all eight of these habits by the age of 40 are expected to live an average of 24 years longer than men who do not have any of these habits. For women, these eight midlife factors were associated with an additional 21 years of life compared to women who had none of these habits.

Specifically, lower physical activity, opioid use, and smoking had a greater effect on lifespan and were associated with an approximately 30-45% increased risk of death over the study period. Stress, excessive alcohol consumption, poor diet, and poor sleep quality are associated with a nearly 20% increased risk of death, while a lack of positive social relationships is associated with a 5% increased risk of death.

According to the researchers, the findings highlight the role of lifestyle in chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes and heart disease that lead to early disability and death.

Adopting more healthy lifestyle factors at a younger age (around 40 years of age) is associated with greater gains in life expectancy, but it has been found that adopting some of these factors or adopting them at an older age can have important effects.

Source: RES-MPE