The secrets ... Exercising is one of the keys to living a long life, according to researchers.
The secret to a long life could lie in following four golden rules - exercising regularly, staying slim, eating a healthy diet and never smoking, a new study suggests. Kate Devlin reports.
People who take regular exercise, stay slim, eat a healthy diet and never smoke reduce their chances of developing chronic diseases by almost 80 per cent.
Those who followed the four golden rules, the key to a long life, were also 93 per cent less likely to develop diabetes than those who adhered to none of the four factors, according to researchers in the United States.
They were also 81 per cent less likely to have a heart attack, 50 per cent less likely to have a stroke and their chance of developing cancer was reduced by 36 per cent.
To meet the criteria for staying fit, people had to exercise for at least three and a half hours a week.
They also had to have a body mass index measurement of less than 30. Those above are termed obese.
A healthy diet is considered to be high in fruit, vegetables and whole grain foods as well as low in red meat.
Finally, to maximise the chances of living a long life, people should never have smoked.
Overall, the researchers found that by following all four rules, people could cut the risk of developing some conditions by 78 per cent.
"Our results reinforce current public health recommendations to avoid smoking, to maintain a healthy weight, to engage in physical activity appropriately and to eat adequate amounts of fruits and vegetables and foods containing whole grains and to partake of red meat prudently," said Dr Earl S Ford, of the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, who led the study.
"Because the roots of these factors often originate during the formative stages of life, it is especially important to start early in teaching the important lessons concerning healthy living."
The team said its findings, published in the journal Archives of Internal Medicine, suggested that some cases of chronic disease could be prevented through healthy living.
The study of 23,513 adults aged between 35 and 65 found that 9 per cent stuck to all four requirements over a period of eight years.
The most important of the four golden rules was to maintain a BMI lower than 30, the researchers found.
This was followed by not smoking, then regular exercise and, last, the healthy diet.
BMI is a comparison of a person's weight and their height. A score of between 20 and 25 is considered normal, while above 25 is overweight and above 30 obese.
The score is calculated by dividing weight in kilograms by height in metres squared.
Pav Kalsi, of Diabetes UK, said: "At time of diagnosis, around 80 per cent of people with Type 2 diabetes are overweight so there is a very clear link between the two.
"Diabetes UK recommends that people eat a healthy, balanced diet, which is low in fat, salt and sugar and includes plenty of fruit and vegetables and do at least 30 minutes of physical activity at least five days a week."
Being an optimist is also good for your health and can cut the chances of heart attack, according to a study by the University of Pittsburgh. Researchers found that people who looked for the positives in life tended to be in better health than pessimists. [rc]
The Daily Telegraph, UK
Copyright © 2009. Fairfax Digital
August 13, 2009
AUSTRALIA: Secret to a long life
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MELBOURNE, Victoria / The Age / Executive Lifestyle / August 13, 2009
The secrets ... Exercising is one of the keys to living a long life, according to researchers.
The secret to a long life could lie in following four golden rules - exercising regularly, staying slim, eating a healthy diet and never smoking, a new study suggests. Kate Devlin reports.
People who take regular exercise, stay slim, eat a healthy diet and never smoke reduce their chances of developing chronic diseases by almost 80 per cent.
Those who followed the four golden rules, the key to a long life, were also 93 per cent less likely to develop diabetes than those who adhered to none of the four factors, according to researchers in the United States.
They were also 81 per cent less likely to have a heart attack, 50 per cent less likely to have a stroke and their chance of developing cancer was reduced by 36 per cent.
To meet the criteria for staying fit, people had to exercise for at least three and a half hours a week.
They also had to have a body mass index measurement of less than 30. Those above are termed obese.
A healthy diet is considered to be high in fruit, vegetables and whole grain foods as well as low in red meat.
Finally, to maximise the chances of living a long life, people should never have smoked.
Overall, the researchers found that by following all four rules, people could cut the risk of developing some conditions by 78 per cent.
"Our results reinforce current public health recommendations to avoid smoking, to maintain a healthy weight, to engage in physical activity appropriately and to eat adequate amounts of fruits and vegetables and foods containing whole grains and to partake of red meat prudently," said Dr Earl S Ford, of the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, who led the study.
"Because the roots of these factors often originate during the formative stages of life, it is especially important to start early in teaching the important lessons concerning healthy living."
The team said its findings, published in the journal Archives of Internal Medicine, suggested that some cases of chronic disease could be prevented through healthy living.
The study of 23,513 adults aged between 35 and 65 found that 9 per cent stuck to all four requirements over a period of eight years.
The most important of the four golden rules was to maintain a BMI lower than 30, the researchers found.
This was followed by not smoking, then regular exercise and, last, the healthy diet.
BMI is a comparison of a person's weight and their height. A score of between 20 and 25 is considered normal, while above 25 is overweight and above 30 obese.
The score is calculated by dividing weight in kilograms by height in metres squared.
Pav Kalsi, of Diabetes UK, said: "At time of diagnosis, around 80 per cent of people with Type 2 diabetes are overweight so there is a very clear link between the two.
"Diabetes UK recommends that people eat a healthy, balanced diet, which is low in fat, salt and sugar and includes plenty of fruit and vegetables and do at least 30 minutes of physical activity at least five days a week."
Being an optimist is also good for your health and can cut the chances of heart attack, according to a study by the University of Pittsburgh. Researchers found that people who looked for the positives in life tended to be in better health than pessimists. [rc]
The Daily Telegraph, UK
Copyright © 2009. Fairfax Digital
The secrets ... Exercising is one of the keys to living a long life, according to researchers.
The secret to a long life could lie in following four golden rules - exercising regularly, staying slim, eating a healthy diet and never smoking, a new study suggests. Kate Devlin reports.
People who take regular exercise, stay slim, eat a healthy diet and never smoke reduce their chances of developing chronic diseases by almost 80 per cent.
Those who followed the four golden rules, the key to a long life, were also 93 per cent less likely to develop diabetes than those who adhered to none of the four factors, according to researchers in the United States.
They were also 81 per cent less likely to have a heart attack, 50 per cent less likely to have a stroke and their chance of developing cancer was reduced by 36 per cent.
To meet the criteria for staying fit, people had to exercise for at least three and a half hours a week.
They also had to have a body mass index measurement of less than 30. Those above are termed obese.
A healthy diet is considered to be high in fruit, vegetables and whole grain foods as well as low in red meat.
Finally, to maximise the chances of living a long life, people should never have smoked.
Overall, the researchers found that by following all four rules, people could cut the risk of developing some conditions by 78 per cent.
"Our results reinforce current public health recommendations to avoid smoking, to maintain a healthy weight, to engage in physical activity appropriately and to eat adequate amounts of fruits and vegetables and foods containing whole grains and to partake of red meat prudently," said Dr Earl S Ford, of the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, who led the study.
"Because the roots of these factors often originate during the formative stages of life, it is especially important to start early in teaching the important lessons concerning healthy living."
The team said its findings, published in the journal Archives of Internal Medicine, suggested that some cases of chronic disease could be prevented through healthy living.
The study of 23,513 adults aged between 35 and 65 found that 9 per cent stuck to all four requirements over a period of eight years.
The most important of the four golden rules was to maintain a BMI lower than 30, the researchers found.
This was followed by not smoking, then regular exercise and, last, the healthy diet.
BMI is a comparison of a person's weight and their height. A score of between 20 and 25 is considered normal, while above 25 is overweight and above 30 obese.
The score is calculated by dividing weight in kilograms by height in metres squared.
Pav Kalsi, of Diabetes UK, said: "At time of diagnosis, around 80 per cent of people with Type 2 diabetes are overweight so there is a very clear link between the two.
"Diabetes UK recommends that people eat a healthy, balanced diet, which is low in fat, salt and sugar and includes plenty of fruit and vegetables and do at least 30 minutes of physical activity at least five days a week."
Being an optimist is also good for your health and can cut the chances of heart attack, according to a study by the University of Pittsburgh. Researchers found that people who looked for the positives in life tended to be in better health than pessimists. [rc]
The Daily Telegraph, UK
Copyright © 2009. Fairfax Digital
