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Four Steps to a Longer Life

BACK TO WELLNESS LIBRARY

According to a recent study, four simple behaviors – being physically active, not smoking, drinking moderately and consuming fruits and vegetables – can increase longevity by as much as 14 years. The study surveyed 20,244 men and women (ages 45 to 79) in the United Kingdom between 1993 and 1997. The participants, none of whom had cardiovascular disease or cancer at the beginning of the study, were asked if they were nonsmokers, were physically active, had moderate alcohol consumption and ate at least five servings of fruits or vegetables a day. One point was assigned for each healthy behavior.

Participants were tracked until 2006 and researchers found that those with a score of zero were four times more likely to have died than those with a score of four. The research showed that each point increased longevity incrementally and that those who practiced all four behaviors on average lived longer by 14 years.

Improving Your Health and Longevity

To improve any of the four behaviors mentioned above, the following information can help.

1. To become a nonsmoker…Check out www.smokefree.gov, a website created by the National Cancer Institute for those trying to quit smoking. The website includes:

• An online self-help guide to quitting
  
• Support from smoking cessation counselors via telephone or real time instant messaging
  
• Access to printed resources for all smokers interested in quitting; for smokers over 50; for smokers who have recently quit; for pregnant smokers who have recently quit; for African American smokers

2. To increase your physical activity…Try fast walking. Fast walking burns the same amount of calories per mile as running and builds endurance, enhances muscle tone, strengthens bones and reduces stress. Aim for 30 minutes or 10,000 steps per day. Walking has several advantages over other exercises:

• It does not require special equipment or other people
  
• It has a low rate of injury for participants
  
• It is easier to work into your day than many other types of activities

3. To monitor your drinking…Follow the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ definition of moderate drinking, which is defined as having no more than one drink per day for most women and no more than two drinks per day for most men. This definition is referring to the amount consumed on any single day and is not intended as an average over several days.

4. To increase your consumption of fruits and vegetables…Visit the new www.FruitsandVeggiesMatter.gov website to get tools and information to help you eat more fruits and vegetables each day. The new website includes the following:

• A calculator to find out how many fruits and vegetables you need each day, based on your daily calorie needs
  
• Tips on how to include fruits and vegetables in your daily diet
  
• Delicious recipes