Key points from article :
A new study published in the New England Journal of Medicine highlights the importance of a healthy lifestyle at age 50 for increasing life expectancy. Lead author Dr. Christie M. Ballantyne and team found that middle-aged adults who are free from the five classic risk factors for cardiovascular disease—type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, smoking, high cholesterol, and obesity/underweight—are more likely to live longer, healthier lives than those who have one or more of these risk factors.
The research, which analysed health data from over two million adults across 39 countries, revealed that women without these risk factors live 14.5 years longer and develop cardiovascular disease 13.3 years later than women with all five risks. Similarly, men free of these risks live 11.8 years longer and develop heart disease 10.6 years later than their counterparts with multiple risk factors.
Dr. Christina Magnussen, a joint author of the study, explained that these five risk factors contribute to around half of all cardiovascular diseases worldwide. The study underscores how managing these factors, such as controlling blood pressure and avoiding smoking, can significantly enhance lifespan and quality of life, particularly as people age.
