New research has identified eight healthy lifestyle habits that could potentially add years to your life. A study presented at the annual meeting of the American Society for Nutrition revealed that men who adopted all eight habits by middle age lived 24 years longer than those who had few or none of the habits. Similarly, women who adopted the eight habits increased their life expectancy by 23 years compared to those who did not.
The study, which analyzed data from nearly 720,000 U.S. veterans aged 40 and older, is considered a nationally representative sample. The researchers referred to these habits as “therapeutic lifestyle factors.” The eight key habits include not smoking, being physically active, managing stress, eating a healthy diet, having good sleep hygiene, avoiding binge drinking, not being addicted to opioids, and having positive social relationships.
Overall, individuals who adopted all eight habits were 13 percent less likely to die for any reason during the study period of approximately eight years. The mortality rate for participants decreased as the number of healthy habits they followed increased.
The study found that the greatest mortality risk was associated with smoking, low physical activity, and opioid use. The researchers categorized adopting these healthy behaviors as “lifestyle medicine,” which focuses on addressing the underlying causes of chronic diseases rather than just treating their symptoms.
In addition to potentially adding years to one’s life, lifestyle medicine could also help reduce healthcare costs, according to the lead researcher. The study’s findings highlight the importance of adopting these healthy habits to improve overall health and well-being.
This article is part of The Post’s “Big Number” series, which provides a brief overview of the statistical aspect of health issues. For more information and relevant research, readers can access the provided hyperlinks.
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