A healthy lifestyle is also useful in old age
It is a well–known truth that being overweight, smoking, low physical activity, loneliness and alcohol abuse shorten life. However, until now it was unclear whether this pattern applies to people aged 75 and older.
In order to find out, Swedish researchers assessed the differences between the survival rates of the older age group, taking into account variable factors such as behavior, leisure activities and social connections.
The study involved slightly more than 1,800 people, who were monitored for 18 years (from 1987 to 2005). At the same time, data on age, gender, type of activity, level of education, behavioral habits, social ties and activities in their free time were recorded.
During the follow-up period, 92% of the participants died, while the life expectancy of half of the participants exceeded 90 years.
The survivors at the end of the study were predominantly female, had higher education, led a healthy lifestyle, had an extensive network of social contacts and participated in more events than the deceased participants.
According to the results, smokers on average died a year earlier than non-smokers. Those who quit smoking lived as long as those who never smoked. That is, quitting smoking in middle age reduced the impact of this bad habit on the mortality rate.
Of all the activities in free time, physical activity had the most positive effect on life expectancy. Participants who regularly swam, walked or did fitness lived on average 2 years longer than those who did not attach importance to physical exertion.
In general, the life expectancy of participants in the low-risk mortality group (healthy lifestyle, physical activity and extensive or moderate network of social contacts) was 5.4 years longer than in the high-risk group (unhealthy lifestyle, lack of physical activity and limited network of social contacts).
Even for people aged 85 and older, as well as those with chronic diseases, but included in the low-risk group, the average age at the time of death was greater than for participants in the high-risk group.
Based on the data obtained, the authors concluded that physical activity and the absence of smoking habits have a positive effect on the life expectancy of people aged 75 years and older, prolonging the life of women by 5 years, and the life of men by 6. Moreover, this pattern, although less pronounced, is also true for people aged 85 years and older.
Article by D. Rizzuto et al. Lifestyle, social factors, and survival after age 75: population based study published in the journal Psychological Science.
Evgeniya Ryabtseva
Portal "Eternal youth" http://vechnayamolodost.ru based on the materials of ScienceDaily:
Healthy Living Into Old Age Can Add Up to Six Years to Your Life:
Keeping Physically Active Shows Strongest Association With Survival.
31.08.2012