"Good behavior"

A recently published study ("The EPIC-Norfolk Prospective Population Study") demonstrates that certain behavior patterns significantly reduce the risk of mortality, and can be equivalent to reducing one's age by up to 14 years. In the study, participants scored one point for each of the following behaviors they exhibited:

1. Currently non-smoking

2. Physically active

3. Moderate alcohol intake (1 to 14 units per week)

4. Eating at least 5 servings a day of fruits and vegetables

The people who exhibited all of these behaviors (score of 4 points) had a reduced mortality risk by a factor of 4, or equivalently, were as healthy as a person 14 years younger! The most impact was on cardiovascular (heart and blood-vessel related) diseases. Each of these behaviors separately lead to a reduced risk, but all four together have a dramatic effect on one's well-being!

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Last Modification - Feb 8, 2008