4 healthy habits can increase lifespan by 14 years, study suggests

Last Updated: Tuesday, January 8, 2008 | 4:18 PM ET

CBC News

People who fill up on fruits and veggies, exercise regularly, limit alcohol consumption and don't smoke live an average of 14 years longer than those who don't abide by these healthy habits, according to a new U.K. study.

'These results may provide further support for the idea that even small differences in lifestyle may make a big difference to health in the population and encourage behaviour change.'— Kay-Tee Khaw, researcher

The study, published Monday in the Public Library of Science Medicine, included about 20,000 healthy people in the United Kingdom between the ages of 45 to 79. Lead researcher Kay-Tee Khaw, of the University of Cambridge, said people who followed the four rules lived on average 14 years longer than their peers who continued to indulge.

"The four health behaviours were within the usual range found in a free-living population," the study said. "Though relatively modest and achievable, their combined impact was associated with an estimated four-fold difference in mortality risk, equivalent to 14 years in chronological age."

Participants in the study completed a health questionnaire between 1993 and 1997 and underwent a medical exam at a clinic. Each subject was scored accordingly:

• One point for not smoking.
• One point for exercising regularly and not having a sedentary job.
• One point for eating at least five servings of fruits and vegetables daily.
• One point for consuming no more than 14 units — one unit defined as a half-pint of beer, a glass of wine or a shot — per week.

Researchers recorded deaths among those who participated in the study and in 2006 evaluated how the healthy habits affected their lifespan. After adjusting for factors such as age, the researchers concluded that those who received a score of zero in the initial assessment were four times as likely to have died over those who scored four points.

"These results may provide further support for the idea that even small differences in lifestyle may make a big difference to health in the population and encourage behaviour change," the study said.

Dr. Tim Armstrong, a physical activity expert with the World Health Organization, said the research shows how making lifestyle changes can extend one's lifespan. But, he cautioned the study only observed lifestyle patterns and did not track how incorporating these four changes would affect one's lifespan.

"We can't say that any one person could gain 14 years by doing these things," said Armstrong. "The 14 years is an average across the population of what's theoretically possible."