- A new study has found that eight lifestyle habits are linked to a longer life.
- Adopting these habits in middle age could add decades to a person’s lifespan.
- Each habit alone can lengthen life, but combining them all multiplies the effects.
- Experts say that’s because major killers, like heart disease and cancer, are linked to poor lifestyle habits.
- To make lasting changes, it’s important to be consistent and intentional in your choices.
According to a new study be introduced to NUTRITION 2023taking place July 22-25 in Boston, there are eight healthy lifestyle habits that can help extend your life by decades.
These habits include:
According to the authors, people who adopt these habits in middle age can live much longer than those who don’t.
Men Who Follow The Eight Lifestyle Factors At 40 Could Live Up To 24 Years Longer Than Those Who Do None Of These Healthy Habits
Women, on the other hand, could see an increase of 22.6 years.
They claim that each of the factors taken independently can help reduce the risk of premature death.
However, taken together, the effects on longevity are multiplied.
To investigate how lifestyle choices relate to lifespan, Xuan-Mai T. Nguyen and co-author Yanping Li collected data from the medical records and questionnaires of more than 719,147 U.S. military veterans who participated in the Veterans Affairs Million Veterans program between 2011 and 2019.
Adults between the ages of 40 and 99 were included in the study. There were 33,375 deaths recorded during follow-up.
When they analyzed the data, the research duo found that inactivity, opioid use and smoking had the greatest effect, with these factors being linked to a 30-45% higher risk of death during the study.
Poor sleep hygiene, unhealthy diet, excessive alcohol consumption, and stress each created an approximately 20% increase in risk.
A lack of positive social relationships was associated with a 5% increased risk.
However, as each protective habit was added to people’s lifestyles, the researchers found a drop in the death rate per 1,000 person-years, with those who adopted all eight seeing a 13% reduction in all-cause mortality. This effect diminished as they got older, but it was still statistically significant.
The researchers said in a Press release that these results show how various lifestyle factors can contribute to diseases that lead to early death and disability.
They also show how making better choices can extend a person’s years of healthy life.
“It’s never too late to adopt a healthy lifestyle,” Nguyen said.
He noted that this type of study cannot prove that adopting these habits can increase lifespan. However, they are consistent with other similar studies, he added.
Tariq HafizMD, FACC, ABIM, Medical Director, Cardiologist and Educator at Pritikin Longevity Centersaid, “As a clinical and preventive cardiologist, I strongly believe that embracing these comprehensive lifestyle factors is the foundation for the primary and secondary prevention of many chronic diseases i.e. cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, dementia, etc.”
He further noted that the benefits are likely achieved by preventing oxidative stress and inflammation from occurring.
Hafiz explained that cardiovascular disease and cancer are the leading causes of death, with modifiable risk factors for heart disease being well known. Namely, these risk factors are high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, smoking, mental stress, visceral obesity, poor diet and sedentary lifestyle, he said.
He also stated that tobacco use is a major risk factor shared by several categories of chronic diseases, such as cardiovascular disease; stroke; lung, bladder and esophageal cancers; chronic lung disease; and diabetes.
“Chronic diseases are associated with most morbidity and mortality and are therefore responsible for a large part of the cost of health care and the financial burden,” Hafiz concluded.
Tally’s HealthVice President of Biology and Head of R&D, Trinna CuellarPh.D., MBA, said that to make lasting change, you need to adopt habits that fit your lifestyle.
As an example of how you can customize your approach to suit your own needs, she pointed to a new mom, who might temporarily not be able to reduce stress or improve sleep, but could still tackle areas like nutrition and social satisfaction.
“Consistency is key to influencing longevity, so being realistic and intentional is important,” she added.
She further emphasized the importance of testing to get feedback on how your lifestyle changes are working. “You can’t address what you don’t know,” she explained.
One way to do this could be through a service like Tally Health, she said, which offers personalized action plans and testing. However, you can also work with your own personal doctor.
Cuellar added that wearable devices, phone apps and community support can also be helpful when it comes to forming new habits. For example, you can use fitness trackers, apps that track your drinking habits, or group fitness classes to help you stay on track with your goals.
“Often what works best for me is when my coaches and friends hold me accountable when I plan to exercise with them,” she said. “It makes it much harder for me to cancel my exercise routine when my days are really busy.”