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One of the country’s leading researchers updates his revolutionary approach to solving–and preventing–your children’s sleep problems
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Living a Healthy Life Adds Years
If you aren’t living a healthy life; i.e. you smoke, have high blood pressure, high blood sugar and are overweight you might just be shortening how long you live by an average of 4 years. The numbers are sobering… men cut their lives by as much as 4.9 years, while women take 4.1 years from their lifespan.
There’s even greater variability in the effect of these factors on life expectancy across the U.S. based on where you live, how much money you make or what race you belong to.
Interestingly, these four risk factors are ultimately under our control. While your genetics and age are things you can’t do anything about, whether you smoke and how you manage your weight are under your direct control. What’s more, blood pressure and blood sugar can be controlled by lifestyle choices you make, only if they’re at abnormally high levels is medication needed.
According to the research, these risk factors account for a large part of the difference in life expectancy. One example, Southern rural blacks saw life expectancy fall by 6.7 years among men and 5.7 years among women. Asians saw the smallest reduction in life expectancy, only 4.1 years for men; 3.6 years for women. Asian Americans also had the lowest body mass index, the lowest blood sugar levels and were least likely to be smokers.
The highest blood pressure was in blacks, the lowest in whites. When it came to the highest BMI, this dubious distinction was awarded to two groups, white Western Native American men and Southern low-income rural black women. Those who smoked heaviest were Western Native Americans and low income whites who lived in the Appalachia and Mississippi Valley.
Smoking, high blood pressure, high blood sugar and being overweight or obese make for almost 20% of differences in life expectancy across America according to researchers. The four risk factors account for a 75% in differences in cardiovascular deaths, up to a 50% in differences in cancer deaths.
Researchers believe that we need to target public health efforts toward the groups who are most at risk.
Based on this data examined, the researchers could estimate the number of deaths that might have been prevented if the risk factors were at an optimal number. They looked also at how these optimal levels would improve life expectancy.
In addition, the team then estimated these factors for subgroups in the United States known as the “Eight Americas.” If this is the first you’re hearing these groups, they were defined earlier by the authors as…
1. Asians
2. Northland low-income rural whites
3. Middle America
4. Low-income whites in Appalachia and Mississippi Valley
5. Western Native Americans
6. Black middle America
7. High-risk urban blacks
8. Southern low-income rural blacks
According to the report, if the four risk factors were kept at optimal levels, the increased life expectancy would be:
- Not smoking: 2.5 years for men, 1.8 years for women
- Optimal Blood pressure: 1.5 years for men, 1.6 years for women
- Optimal Blood sugar: 0.5 years for men, 0.3 years for women
- No Obesity: 1.3 years for men, 1.3 years for women
The message is clear about what you need to do to live longer. Stop smoking. Keep your body weight healthy, your blood pressure down and blood sugar levels low. In short living a healthy life adds years. Now it’s up to you.
By Kirsten Whittaker