We came across a recent article published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal that we thought would be of interest to you. This article looked at healthy behaviours that can increase the odds of aging successfully.
This article reported on a study that followed over 10,000 British men and women with a clinical examination approximately every 5 years, for a total of 16 years. At the conclusion of the study, all participants were 60 years of age of older. Participants were surveyed on 4 basic lifestyle questions of: smoking, alcohol consumption, level of physical activity, and dietary behaviours (eating fruits and vegetables).
Data was available on 5100 participants at the end of 16 years and 953 met the criteria for "successful aging" at the conclusion of the study. Successful aging was defined as: "good cognitive, physical, respiratory and cardiovascular functioning, in addition to the absence of disability, mental health problems and chronic disease (coronary artery disease, stroke, cancer and diabetes)".
Each healthy behaviour increased the odds of aging successfully, and those who engaged in all healthy behaviours (never smoked, moderate consumption of alcohol - 1-14 units/week for women and 1-21 units/week for men, physically active, and daily consumption of fruits and vegetables) saw the greatest benefit.
For many of us who are conscious of the various attributes of a healthy lifestyle, these results are not surprising. If you don't follow these basic guidelines, what are your waiting for? If you have unhealthy behaviours, now is the time to make a change! Start following these healthy behaviours in order to age successfully! If you have a family member or friend who could stand to improve on these behaviours, let them know what they can do. Let's help ourselves and our community stay healthy.
To view the full article, check out: http://www.cmaj.ca/content/184/18/1985.full.
-Tannys & Alex
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