Bad habits can age you by 12 years, study suggests

CHICAGO – Four common bad habits combined — smoking, drinking too much, inactivity and poor diet — can age you by 12 years, sobering new research suggests.

The findings are from a study that tracked nearly 5,000 British adults for 20 years, and they highlight yet another reason to adopt a healthier lifestyle.

Overall, 314 people studied had all four unhealthy behaviors. Among them, 91 died during the study, or 29 percent. Among the 387 healthiest people with none of the four habits, only 32 died, or about 8 percent.

The risky behaviors were: smoking tobacco; downing more than three alcoholic drinks per day for men and more than two daily for women; getting less than two hours of physical activity per week; and eating fruits and vegetables fewer than three times daily.

These habits combined substantially increased the risk of death and made people who engaged in them seem 12 years older than people in the healthiest group, said lead researcher Elisabeth Kvaavik of the University of Oslo.

The study appears in Monday's Archives of Internal Medicine.

The healthiest group included never-smokers and those who had quit; teetotalers, women who had fewer than two drinks daily and men who had fewer than three; those who got at least two hours of physical activity weekly; and those who ate fruits and vegetables at least three times daily.

"You don't need to be extreme" to be in the healthy category, Kvaavik said. "These behaviors add up, so together it's quite good. It should be possible for most people to manage to do it."

For example, one carrot, one apple and a glass of orange juice would suffice for the fruit and vegetable cutoffs in the study, Kvaavik said, noting that the amounts are pretty modest and less strict than many guidelines.

The U.S. government generally recommends at least 4 cups of fruits or vegetables daily for adults, depending on age and activity level; and about 2 1/2 hours of exercise weekly.

Study participants were 4,886 British adults aged 18 and older, or 44 years old on average. They were randomly selected from participants in a separate nationwide British health survey. Study subjects were asked about various lifestyle habits only once, a potential limitation, but Kvaavik said those habits tend to be fairly stable in adulthood.

Death certificates were checked for the next 20 years. The most common causes of death included heart disease and cancer, both related to unhealthy lifestyles.

Kvaavik said her results are applicable to other westernized nations including the United States.

June Stevens, a University of North Carolina public health researcher, said the results are in line with previous studies that examined the combined effects of health-related habits on longevity.

The findings don't mean that everyone who maintains a healthy lifestyle will live longer than those who don't, but it will increase the odds, Stevens said.

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How to Eat Smarter??

Some people have problems how to not only eat smart, but also right. Here are several ways one can follow to achieve better life and better meals.

Do not skip breakfast.
People are 75% more likely to overeat the rest of the day if they skip breakfast. Now, if you have a hard time wanting food in the morning, make a nutritional smoothie: Throw in some frozen fruit, greens, protein powder, a little almond butter for satisfying fat and your liquid of choice. Oatmeal is an easy one in the morning. But remember that sugary cereal and bagels are not breakfast. Boil eggs and eat with a slice of toast or some avocado. Get your day started right.

Bored at work or home? Find a distraction other than food.
If you're at work and have a break, go for a walk or bring a healthy snack to eat. If you're doing "the kitchen roam" and find yourself with the fridge open, call a friend or give yourself an indulgent 10 minutes online. Get yourself busy doing something else like reading magazines or do your laundry.

Eat only when you are hungry.
Don't just mindlessly shove food in your face because it's something to do. If you can not stop eating when you are bored, then try substituting it with a new habit.

Avoid fast food and vending machines.
This never ends pretty. Most of the food is fattening, tastes really good, and doesn't have much nutritional integrity. If you are on the road and have no other options, then try to pick the best of the bad. Don't super size your order and avoid fried anything, sodas the size of 5 gallon buckets with a free refiill, and bread. In general, reach for chicken, salads, and, if you can, drink water.

If you are stressed out or having a personal crisis reach for the phone, not food.

Call a good friend or ask someone to go on a walk in a peaceful place so that you can vent. Don't sit at home, alone, crying into a bowl of ice cream.

Find other things social to do that don't always involve food. Create a strategy for where you meet and eat. If you can combine it with some exercise and a healthy meal after, even better! This will provide a positive example for everyone.

Write it down. Keep a food journal.

You will be able to pin point exactly what foods and beverages are getting you where. Therefore you’ll eat smarter and manage to balance your daily diet.