Data from over 700,000 people: These 8 simple habits can significantly extend your lifespan

A healthy lifestyle is closely related to a person's life span. Research by the World Health Organization shows that lifestyle plays a major role in people's health and life span, accounting for about 60%. Many studies have shown that adopting a healthy lifestyle can significantly increase life expectancy. The incidence of many diseases is increasing year by year, and is becoming younger and younger, which is largely related to bad living habits.

Recently, researchers from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and Carle Illinois College of Medicine published the results of a study titled "Eight Modifiable Lifestyle Factors Associated With Increased Life Expectancy Among 719,147 US Veterans" at NUTRITION 2023, the annual meeting of the American Society for Nutrition held in Boston.

Studies show that compared with people who do not follow these 8 healthy lifestyles, by the age of 40, men's average life expectancy is expected to be extended by 23.7 years and women's average life expectancy is expected to be extended by 22.6 years.

These eight lifestyles are: active exercise, no smoking, not drinking frequently, good diet, good sleep, stress control, avoiding opioid addiction, and active social interaction.

In the study, researchers analyzed data from medical records and questionnaires from 719,147 participants in the Million Veterans Initiative cohort, aged 40-99 years, a large nationally representative study of U.S. veterans, to examine the relationship between eight healthy lifestyle habits and life expectancy.

The 8 healthy living habits include: active exercise, no smoking, not drinking alcohol frequently, good diet, good sleep, stress control, avoiding opioid addiction, and active social interaction.

Overall, 33,375 deaths were recorded during the study period.

Data analysis found that the mortality rates per 1,000 person-years for people with 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 healthy lifestyles were 72.6, 46.3, 36.3, 29.8, 25.2, 20.8, 15.7, 12.3, and 7.4 respectively.

The study found that compared with people who do not follow these 8 lifestyles, by following these 8 healthy lifestyles, men's average life expectancy is expected to be extended by 23.7 years and women's average life expectancy is expected to be extended by 22.6 years at the age of 40.

The impact of the number of healthy habits on men's life expectancy

Furthermore, having even a few of these traits can bring benefits, and the earlier you start following these lifestyle habits, the better. Even making small changes in your 40s, 50s, or 60s can still be beneficial to your health.

The impact of the number of healthy habits on women's life expectancy

Further research found that lack of exercise, opioid addiction, and smoking had the greatest impact on life expectancy. These three factors alone were associated with an increase in the risk of death of about 30-45%. Secondly, stress, drinking, poor diet, and poor sleep were all associated with an increase in the risk of death of about 20%. Finally, lack of active social interaction was associated with a 5% increase in the risk of death.

The researchers said the increase in life expectancy associated with a healthy lifestyle could be attributed to a reduction in chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes and heart disease, which increase the risk of death. The findings also help quantify which lifestyles protect people from chronic disease risk.

The researchers stressed that the study was an observational one and could not definitively prove cause and effect. Lifestyle medicine, which aims to treat the underlying causes of chronic disease rather than its symptoms, offers a potential avenue for saving healthcare costs.

Overall, the research highlights the importance of a healthy lifestyle, showing that being physically active, not smoking, not drinking alcohol regularly, eating well, getting enough sleep, managing stress, avoiding opioid addiction, and being socially active can reduce the risk of chronic diseases and extend life expectancy.

Paper link:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/fge6k1m3sgl3gpd/Nguyen%20abstract.docx?dl=0