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A study published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ) highlights 5 life decisions that can extend your “disease free” years.
Aging increases the risk of developing chronic diseases, such as cancer. Fortunately, lifestyle interventions can mitigate these risks and maximize the benefits of living longer.
The study looked at the effect of five measures of a healthy lifestyle on life expectancy and disease rates.
To combine the results, the researchers analyzed data on 73,196 U.S. registered nurses from the Nurses’ Health Study and 38,366 male U.S. health professionals from the Health Professional Follow-up Study, that were free from cancer, cardiovascular disease and listed diabetes.
The study is one of the largest surveys of risk factors for major chronic diseases in women.
Likewise, the Health Professionals Follow-up Study is a decades-long survey of men’s health and serious illnesses, such as cancer, heart disease, and other vascular diseases.
5 low risk lifestyle factors – no smoking at all, a healthy weight (BMI), at least 30 minutes of daily physical activity, moderate alcohol consumption, and good diet – were used to calculate a healthy lifestyle score.
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The sum of these five scores together gave a low risk lifestyle score ranging from 0 to 5, with higher scores indicating a healthier lifestyle.
The participants were evaluated regularly over a period of more than 20 years. During this period, new diagnoses and deaths were recorded due to cancer, cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes.
After adjusting for age, race, family medical history, and other potentially influencing factors, life expectancy free from cancer, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes was 50 years, 24 years for women who did not. adopted no low risk lifestyle factors and 34 years old For women who adopted four or five low risk factors.
Likewise, the average life expectancy without any of these chronic conditions was 24 years for men who did not adopt low-risk lifestyle factors and 31 years for men who adopted four or five of the factors. low risk lifestyle.
Women with four or five low risk lifestyle factors had a 10.6 years longer life expectancy without major chronic diseases compared to women with low risk lifestyle factors, while women with low risk lifestyle factors men had a longer life expectancy of 7.6 years. Years without major chronic illness, compared to those without low risk lifestyle factors.
This is an observational study, so the cause cannot be determined, and the authors point out some limitations, such as relying on self-reported lifestyle habits, and the participants are primarily healthcare professionals. white health, so the results may not generally apply.
However, the data covered a large number of subjects with detailed and repeated assessment of lifestyle factors over a long period of follow-up.
In their closing remarks, the study’s authors said: “Public policies aimed at improving diet and the physical environment conducive to healthy diets and lifestyles, as well as related policies and regulations (eg ban on smoking in public places or restrictions on trans fats) are needed to improve average life expectancy, especially life expectancy without major chronic diseases.
Eating a healthy, balanced diet is an important part of maintaining good health and can help you feel better.
Source: Express
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