Researchers identify eight habits that could see people live 20 years longer

The research that looked at lifestyle habits used data from medical records and questionnaires collected between 2011-2019 from 719,147 people enrolled in the Veterans Affairs Million Veteran Program. File Picture: Leah Farrell/RollingNews.ie

Researchers have identified eight habits that could see people live more than 20 years longer.

The study found that low physical activity, opioid use, and smoking had the biggest impact on lifespan, and were associated with around a 30-45% higher risk of death.

While stress, binge drinking, poor diet, and poor sleep hygiene were each associated with around a 20% increase in the risk of death.

And a lack of positive social relationships was associated with a 5% increased risk of dying.

Meanwhile, a separate study suggests that incorporating olive oil into your diet could help reduce the risk of dying from dementia.

It found that consuming more than half a tablespoon of olive oil per day is linked to a 28% lower risk of dying from the condition, compared with those who never or rarely eat the oil.

The findings from both studies were presented at Nutrition 2023, the annual meeting of the American Society for Nutrition being held in Boston.

The research that looked at lifestyle habits used data from medical records and questionnaires collected between 2011-2019 from 719,147 people enrolled in the Veterans Affairs Million Veteran Program.

It found that men who have all eight habits at age 40 would be predicted to live an average of 24 years longer than men with none of these habits.

For women, having all eight healthy lifestyle factors in middle age was associated with a predicted 21 additional years of life compared to women with none of these habits.

Xuan-Mai Nguyen, health science specialist at the Department of Veterans Affairs and rising fourth-year medical student at Carle Illinois College of Medicine, USA, said: “We were really surprised by just how much could be gained with the adoption of one, two, three, or all eight lifestyle factors.

“Our research findings suggest that adopting a healthy lifestyle is important for both public health and personal wellness.

“The earlier the better, but even if you only make a small change in your 40s, 50s, or 60s, it still is beneficial.” The researchers say their findings, which have not been peer-reviewed, highlight the role of lifestyle factors in contributing to chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes and heart disease that lead to premature disability and death.

In the olive oil study scientists analysed dietary questionnaires and death records collected from more than 90,000 Americans over three decades, during which 4,749 people died from dementia.

It also found that replacing just one teaspoon of margarine and mayonnaise with the equivalent amount of olive oil per day was associated with an 8-14% lower risk of dying from dementia.

Anne-Julie Tessier, a postdoctoral fellow at the Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health in the USA, said: “Our study reinforces dietary guidelines recommending vegetable oils such as olive oil and suggests that these recommendations not only support heart health but potentially brain health, as well.

“Opting for olive oil, a natural product, instead of fats such as margarine and commercial mayonnaise is a safe choice and may reduce the risk of fatal dementia.” Research suggests that people who regularly use olive oil instead of processed or animal fats tend to have healthier diets overall.

However, Dr Tessier noted that the relationship between olive oil and the risk of dying from dementia in this study was independent of overall diet quality.

This may suggest the oil has properties that are uniquely beneficial for brain health.

She added that the research is observational and does not prove that olive oil is the cause of the reduced risk of fatal dementia.

However, Professor David Curtis, UCL, said it was difficult to assess whether the research adds much to the understanding of links between diet, health and dementia risk, as it has not been peer-reviewed.

He added: “This kind of observational study will often report an association between a factor and an outcome but that does not imply any causal relationship.

“There are many, many differences between people who consume olive oil and those who do not and it is never possible to fully account for all possible confounding factors.

“Another point to bear in mind is that about half of dementia is caused by vascular disease so that anything which improved cardiovascular health, such as not smoking, would be expected to reduce dementia risk.

“It has been shown that olive oil consumption is associated with better cardiovascular health so one would expect that it would also be associated with lower dementia risk.”