Health Behaviors That Can Add Years to Your Life

A British study of over 20,000 men and women between the ages of 45 and 79 documented four health behaviors and their influence on life span. The participants were asked about smoking, exercise, alcohol use and fruit and vegetable intake. If the participants did not smoke, were physically active, drank alcohol in moderation, and ate five servings of fruits and vegetables per day they lived an average of 14 years longer than those who smoked, got no exercise, did not drink and did not eat enough fruits and veggies. Moderate alcohol intake was defined as one to fourteen alcohol units per week. A unit is one beer, one jigger of distilled spirits or one glass of wine. General recommendations have been one drink per day for women and no more than two drinks per day for men. A serving of fruit or vegetable was defined as one-half cup, one small whole fruit or one-half cup of juice. Interestingly, these results were true regardless of social class or body mass index, meaning that economic status or body weight did not seem to change the outcome. Health professionals can encourage small behavior changes and expect to see a healthier aging population based on these findings. Health information is everywhere and sometimes it seems contradictory or confusing for the general public. Simple guidelines and easy short term goals for behavior change can make it easier for clients to live a longer more productive life.