Healthy living 'adds 14 years to life'

Healthy living 'adds 14 years to life'

A healthier lifestyle can add up to 14 years to your life expectancy, a major scientific study has found.

The research, which involved 20,000 people and took place over a decade, found that people who failed to meet four "healthy lifestyle" criteria are four times more likely to have died than those who do.

Those who drinking too much alcohol and smoke and who fail to take exercise or eat enough fruit and vegetables are most at risk - regardless of how overweight or poor they are.

According to the Public Library of Science Medicine study, many could increase their lifespan through simple changes.

"We've know that individually, measures such as not smoking and exercising can have an impact upon longevity, but this is the first time we have looked at them altogether," said Professor Kay-Tee Khaw, who led the research.

"And we also found that social class and BMI - body mass index - really did not have a role to play.

"It means a large proportion of the population really could feel health benefits through moderate changes."

The research was carried out by the University of Cambridge and the Medical Research Council in the English county of Norfolk between 1993 and 2006. Participants were aged between 45 and 79.

Health Insurance & Protection.com : January 2008