Lifestyle Factors Impact Life Expectancies

A study in US adults concluded that a healthy lifestyle could substantially reduce premature mortality and prolong life expectancy. The study included 123,329 adults and defined 5 low-risk lifestyle factors as never smoking, body mass index of 18.5 to 24.9 kg/m2, ≥30 min/d of moderate to vigorous physical activity, moderate alcohol intake, and a high diet quality score (upper 40%). During up to 34 years of follow-up, 42 167 deaths were documented. The multivariable-adjusted hazard ratios for mortality in adults with 5 compared with zero low-risk factors were 0.26, 0.35, and 0.18 for all-cause, cancer and cardiovascular disease mortality, respectively. The population-attributable risk of nonadherence to 5 low-risk factors was 60.7%, 51.7% and 71.7% for all-cause, cancer and cardiovascular disease mortality, respectively. The projected life expectancy at age 50 years was on average 14.0 and 12.2 years longer among female and male Americans with 5 low risk factors compared with those with zero low-risk factors, respectively. Source: http://circ.ahajournals.org/