Research

Adherence

Adhering to four specific health behaviors (non-smoking, moderate alcohol intake, adequate physical activity, and high fruit/vegetable intake) reduces all-cause mortality by approximately 4-fold compared to having none of these behaviors, an effect equivalent to being 14 years younger in chronological age.

To maximize your longevity, focus on four key areas: do not smoke, engage in regular physical activity (avoid being sedentary), drink alcohol moderately (1-14 units/week if you drink), and eat enough fruits and vegetables to maintain healthy blood vitamin C levels. Doing all four can reduce your mortality risk by 75% compared to doing none, effectively making you 14 years biologically younger.

GoodSupportsHIGH confidence
Four health behaviours combined predict a 4-fold difference in total mortality in men and women, with an estimated impact equivalent to 14 y in chronological age.
Kay‐Tee Khaw et al. · PLoS Medicine · 2008

Why this rating

Large prospective cohort study (n=20,244) with long follow-up (11 years), though observational design limits causal inference compared to RCTs.

Source

Combined Impact of Health Behaviours and Mortality in Men and Women: The EPIC-Norfolk Prospective Population Study

Kay‐Tee Khaw et al. · PLoS Medicine · 2008

cohort · n=20244Cited 836×
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