Key points from article :
Scientists discovered that adopting five or more healthy lifestyle practices boosted life expectancy.
The current study used a baseline survey from the Japan Collaborate Cohort (JACC) study, involving 49,021 people performed in 45 locations in Japan from 1988 to 1990.
Questionnaire included questions on diet, exercise, alcohol use, smoking status, sleep duration, and body mass index.
Each healthy activity was given a point, and the impact of changing these lifestyle habits on the expected lifetime was evaluated.
The lifetime gains were highest for reducing alcohol intake, not smoking, losing weight, and increasing sleep, adding up to 6 years of life for healthy 40-year-olds.
The study’s primary author, Dr. Ryoto Sakaniwa said. “A higher number of modified healthy behaviors was directly associated with great longevity for both men and women.”
This benefit was prominent even among older individuals (80 years or more) and those with one or more major comorbidities including cancer, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, diabetes, and kidney disease.
Findings will contribute to the design of future healthcare settings, public health approaches, and policies.
The study was published in Age and Ageing by The Japan Collaborate Cohort (JACC) Study group at Osaka University.
