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Back to Basics: New research again shows healthy behaviors extend life

By: NWHF Staff | Posted on: August 19th, 2011 | Share:
Categories: Food & Nutrition • Public Health

by Craig Mosbaek, CHP Contributor

Here is the simple truth: people can live longer if they engage in the healthy behaviors of not smoking, eating a healthy diet, getting regular physical activity, and limiting alcohol.  This comes from research just released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). 

Data were gathered from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, and study subjects were followed for about 15 years.  People who engaged in all four of these healthy behaviors were 63% less likely to die early, compared to people who did not practice any of the behaviors.

As the study, published on-line by the American Journal of Public Health, says “The rate advancement periods, representing the equivalent risk from a certain number of years of chronological age, for participants who had all 4 high-risk behaviors compared with those who had none were 11.1 years for all-cause mortality, 14.4 years for malignant neoplasms, 9.9 years for major cardiovascular disease, and 10.6 years for other causes.”

Yeah, I didn’t understand that either.  Getting back to basics, let’s just remember what CDC Director Thomas Frieden said, “If you want to lead a longer life and feel better, you should adopt healthy behaviors – not smoking, getting regular physical activity, eating healthy, and avoiding excessive alcohol use.”

So now, what do we do as a society to ensure that more people adopt these behaviors?