Simple Lifestyle Benefits Are Cumulative

A study from Germany, reported in the Archives of Internal Medicine, shows that the more healthy lifestyle behaviors that people follow, the lower their risk for a number of chronic conditions.

Data came from some 23,000 people aged 35 to 65, who were followed for roughly 8 years.  They were free of chronic disease at enrollment. Four healthy lifestyle behaviors were assessed: not smoking, having a body mass index (BMI) under 30, exercising regularly, and eating a healthy diet (plenty of fruits, veggies, and whole grains, and low in red meat). Development of one or more of these chronic diseases during follow-up was recorded: diabetes, coronary heart disease, stroke, or cancer. Thus each participant could have a health index of 0 (unhealthy), 1, 2, 3, or 4 (healthy). Just over 9% of them developed one or more of the chronic conditions – 3.7% developed diabetes, 0.9% had a heart attack, 0.8% had a stroke, and 3.8% developed cancer.

Analysis showed that the likelihood of developing any of these conditions decreased as the number of healthy lifestyle behaviors at baseline increased.  Thus participants with all 4 healthy lifestyles had a 78% lower risk of developing a chronic disease, with 3 healthy behaviors a 72% lower risk, with 2 good behaviors a 63% lower risk, and with 1 healthy lifestyle item a 49% lower risk, compared with those with no healthy behaviors.

Looking just at those who followed all 4 healthy lifestyles (i.e. a 78% lower risk overall), the decreased risks for individual diseases were: diabetes 93%, heart attack 81%, stroke 50%, and cancer 36%.

I think these results should persuade most naysayers. But as one expert has commented: “[This] teaches us nothing about how to get those not already choosing health on their own to join those who are”. That’s the problem.

Comments

[Robert Griffith]

If this study doesn’t convince you, look at one reported in the Journal of the American Medical Association. It shows that elders practicing high adherence to a Mediterranean-type diet and increased physical activity have slower cognitive decline than those not following these behaviors. See: http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/full/302/6/627?home