Bad Habits Early in Life Curtail Longevity

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Lifelong Health: Study Finds Bad Habits Early in Life Curtail Longevity

For many of my baby boomer friends and contemporaries, midlife brings an increased attention on health. Sandwiched between aging parents and grown-up children, most of us are acutely aware of the value of preventing disease and staving off chronic illness, which can often lead to major lifestyle changes such as finally quitting smoking, beginning an exercise routine or following a heart-healthy diet. Unfortunately, for those age-50-plus adults with particularly unhealthy habits, new research indicates that changing high-risk behaviors later in life offers little benefit.

In an important study recently released in the British Medical Journal, researchers evaluated death rates in more than 19,000 middle-aged men who were followed for four decades. The researchers found that those who smoked, had high blood pressure and an elevated cholesterol at age 50 died an average of 10 to 15 years earlier than those without these risk factors. A high risk of heart disease also means an increased incidence of diabetes, cancer and Alzheimer's disease. Therefore, it was not surprising that risk of death from causes other than heart disease was two to three times higher in the high-risk population.

Of greater interest, perhaps, was that a large fraction of the age-50-plus population ultimately stopped smoking, lowered their cholesterol and treated high blood pressure, and yet their life expectancy was not improved. In other words, the die is cast at age 50.

The message is clear: Good health habits must begin early. Unfortunately, most young adults feel invincible, unable to grasp the long-term impact of unhealthy habits. By the time a medical problem arises, it may be too late.

Consider the case of heart disease as a window into our future health challenges. In the last 50 years, educational campaigns against high-risk factors such as smoking, saturated fat and high salt intake contributed to a gradual decrease in the total incidence of heart attack and vascular disease. Unfortunately, recent evidence indicates this trend appears to be reversing. Even worse, the situation seems to be dire in the population under age 50.

There are some important reversible factors that lead to heart attacks: cigarette smoking, high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol, significant obesity and diabetes. In a paper just published in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association, the incidence of smoking still appears to be decreasing, but the percentage of the population with hypertension, diabetes and obesity is steadily increasing. Between 1971 and 1974, 4.4 percent of adults had none of the preventable risk factors for heart disease. From 1976 to 1980, this number increased to 5.7 percent, and rose to 10.5 percent between the years 1988 and 1994.

Sadly, between 1999 and 2004, the positive trend reversed and only 7.5 percent of the population had no risk factors for heart disease. Although the most current statistics for American health risks are not yet available, the situation appears to be worsening. It is very likely that the prevalence of heart attacks and vascular disease will only increase in the future.

This is truly a turning point for the American population. Our health care system must include a far greater focus on prevention. Waiting until midlife to make the important lifestyle changes necessary for long-term health is simply irresponsible. What's more, ignoring the health of our children and grandchildren is a prescription for disaster.

All of this information clearly shows that Americans need to change the way we approach health. Good nutrition and increased physical activity must begin in childhood and remain a lifelong commitment. Efforts for health promotion must be addressed at every age and stage in life. From age 20 onward, measure your blood pressure at least twice a year. And at age 30 have a cholesterol screening for the first time. If any problems are identified, take them seriously and assure appropriate treatment. Finally, every American at any age should quit smoking.

On the surface, the future seems so bright. We remain the wealthiest and most pampered nation in the world, and yet our collective health is dwindling. The huge advances made in life expectancy throughout the 20th century may not continue into the foreseeable future. Therefore, it is your responsibility to do everything possible to promote health and prevent disease. Do not wait until it's too late.