Healthy lifestyle and life expectancy free of cancer, cardiovascular disease, and type 2 diabetes: prospective cohort study

• Published in: BMJ (Online) Vol. 368; p. l6669
• Main Authors: Li, Yanping, Schoufour, Josje, Wang, Dong D, Dhana, Klodian, Pan, An, Liu, Xiaoran, Song, Mingyang, Liu, Gang, Shin, Hyun Joon, Sun, Qi, Al-Shaar, Laila, Wang, Molin, Rimm, Eric B, Hertzmark, Ellen, Stampfer, Meir J, Willett, Walter C, Franco, Oscar H, Hu, Frank B
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England British Medical Journal Publishing Group 08.01.2020; BMJ Publishing Group LTD; BMJ Publishing Group Ltd
• Subjects: Adult; Age; Alcohol Drinking; Body Mass Index; Cancer; Cardiovascular diseases; Cardiovascular Diseases - prevention & control; Cardiovascular Diseases - psychology; Chronic illnesses; Cigarettes; Cohort analysis; Diabetes; Diabetes mellitus (non-insulin dependent); Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 - prevention & control; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 - psychology; Diet, Healthy; Exercise; Female; Health risk assessment; Healthy Lifestyle - physiology; Humans; Life Expectancy; Life span; Male; Medical personnel; Middle Aged; Mortality; Neoplasms - prevention & control; Neoplasms - psychology; Nursing Research; Outcome Assessment, Health Care; Physical activity; Prospective Studies; Risk factors; Risk Reduction Behavior; Smoking; Womens health; United States > US
• ISSN: 1756-1833; 0959-8138; 1756-1833
• DOI: 10.1136/bmj.l6669

AbstractObjectiveTo examine how a healthy lifestyle is related to life expectancy that is free from major chronic diseases.DesignProspective cohort study.Setting and participantsThe Nurses’ Health Study (1980-2014; n=73 196) and the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study (1986-2014; n=38 366).Main exposuresFive low risk lifestyle factors: never smoking, body mass index 18.5-24.9, moderate to vigorous physical activity (≥30 minutes/day), moderate alcohol intake (women: 5-15 g/day; men 5-30 g/day), and a higher diet quality score (upper 40%).Main outcomeLife expectancy free of diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and cancer.ResultsThe life expectancy free of diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and cancer at age 50 was 23.7 years (95% confidence interval 22.6 to 24.7) for women who adopted no low risk lifestyle factors, in contrast to 34.4 years (33.1 to 35.5) for women who adopted four or five low risk factors. At age 50, the life expectancy free of any of these chronic diseases was 23.5 (22.3 to 24.7) years among men who adopted no low risk lifestyle factors and 31.1 (29.5 to 32.5) years in men who adopted four or five low risk lifestyle factors. For current male smokers who smoked heavily (≥15 cigarettes/day) or obese men and women (body mass index ≥30), their disease-free life expectancies accounted for the lowest proportion (≤75%) of total life expectancy at age 50.ConclusionAdherence to a healthy lifestyle at mid-life is associated with a longer life expectancy free of major chronic diseases.