Want to live 24 more years? Just add eight habits to your lifestyle at age 40, according to a new unpublished study.
The study, presented on Monday (24) at Nutrition 2023, the annual meeting of the American Society for Nutrition, analyzed the behavior and lifestyle of nearly 720,000 military veterans aged between 40 and 99 years.
It was found that adding just one healthy behavior to a man’s life at age 40 provided an additional 4.5 years of life. Adding a second habit led to seven more years, while adopting three habits extended men’s lives by 8.6 years. As the number of additional lifestyle changes increased, so did the benefits for men, totaling nearly a quarter of a century of extra life.
Women also saw significant jumps in life expectancy. Adopting just one healthy behavior added 3.5 years to a woman’s life, while two added eight years, three 12.6 years, and embracing all healthy habits extended a woman’s life by 22.6 years.
After adjusting for age, body mass index, sex, race and ethnicity, marital status, educational level, and household income, the study found “a relative reduction of 87% in all-cause mortality for those who adopted all eight lifestyle factors compared to those who adopted none,” the study said.
But what are these healthy habits?
No. 1: The first on the list was exercise, which many experts say is one of the most important behaviors anyone can adopt to improve their health. Adding this healthy behavior produced a 46% reduction in the risk of death from any cause compared to those who did not exercise.
No. 2: Not becoming addicted to opioids was the second most important factor for a longer life, reducing the risk of premature death by 38%, according to the study. This is a significant issue today. The opioid crisis in the U.S. is considered a national “public health emergency,” according to the Department of Health and Human Services.
No. 3: Never having smoked reduced the risk of death by 29%, according to the study. However, quitting smoking at any point in life confers significant health benefits, experts say.
No. 4: Stress management came next, reducing early death by 22%, according to the study. Stress is rampant in the U.S. today, with devastating health consequences, experts say.
No. 5: Eating a plant-based diet would increase your chances of living a longer life by 21%, according to the study. But that doesn’t mean you have to be vegetarian or vegan, the research says.
No. 6: Avoiding excessive alcohol consumption – defined as drinking more than four alcoholic beverages a day – was another healthy lifestyle habit, which reduced the risk of death by 19%. Alcohol abuse is on the rise in the United States, and it’s not just among college students.
No. 7: Getting a good night’s sleep – defined as at least seven to nine hours per night without insomnia – reduced early death from any cause by 18%. Dozens of studies link poor sleep to various health problems that can lead to premature mortality.
No. 8: Being surrounded by positive social relationships boosted longevity by 5%, according to the study. However, loneliness and isolation, especially among the elderly, are becoming more common and concerning, experts say.
A recent study found that people who experienced social isolation had a 32% higher risk of dying prematurely from any cause compared to those who were not socially isolated. Participants who reported feeling lonely were 14% more likely to die early than those who did not.
Source: CNN