By Amy Orciari Herman

Edited by Susan Sadoughi, MD, and André Sofair, MD, MPH

Middle-aged adults with five low-risk lifestyle factors could live more than a decade longer than their less healthy peers, according to a Circulation study.

Using data from the Nurses’ Health Study and Health Professionals Follow-up Study, researchers examined associations between five low-risk lifestyle factors and mortality over roughly 30 years’ follow-up. The lifestyle factors were healthy diet, never smoking, moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (at least 30 min/day), moderate alcohol consumption, and healthy body-mass index.

The researchers found that each low-risk factor was associated with significantly reduced risks for all-cause, cancer, and cardiovascular mortality. Additionally, compared with participants who didn’t meet criteria for any low-risk factor, those who met criteria for all five had a 74% reduced overall mortality risk.

The researchers estimated that average life expectancy at age 50 was 14 years longer for women with all five low-risk factors (reaching age 93) relative to women with no low-risk factors. Among men, all five factors extended life expectancy by 12 years (reaching age 88).

LINK(S):

Circulation article (Free)

Healthy Eating Index used to assess diet in this study (Free)

Background: Recent Physician’s First Watch coverage of healthy lifestyle and survival in colon cancer patients (Free)