What explains the fact that even though the United States spends the highest amount of money on healthcare among developed nations, it still has one of the lowest life expectancies? Specifically, the US spends $9,400 per person, has an average life expectancy of 79 years, and ranks 31st among other countries Therefore, we will talk about a healthy lifestyle in this article.
Perhaps we, in the healthcare field, have been approaching things from the wrong perspective for too long.
A healthy lifestyle leads to a longer life.
Researchers at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health undertook a comprehensive study on the impact of health habits on life expectancy. Their study utilized data from two well-known long-term studies: the Nurses' Health Study (NHS) and the Health Professionals Follow-up Study (HPFS). These studies provided data on a large number of participants over an extensive period of time. The NHS included more than 78,000 women and tracked them from 1980 to 2014, while the HPFS included over 40,000 men and followed them from 1986 to 2014. In total, the study encompassed more than 120,000 participants and spanned 34 years for women and 28 years for men.
The researchers analyzed NHS and HPFS data, which included information on nutrition, physical activity, body weight, smoking, and alcohol usage. These specifics were gathered using frequently used and tested questionnaires.
What exactly is a healthy lifestyle?
Previous studies indicated that these five regions had a major effect on the probability of early mortality. The following criteria were used in English to identify and assess these beneficial practices.
A healthy diet is calculated and rated based on according to consumption of nutritious foods like vegetables, fruits, nuts, grains, healthy fats, and omega-3 fats, in addition to the avoidance of unhealthy foods such as red and processed meats, beverages with added sugar, trans fat, and sodium.
Refined: A healthy amount of physical activity is defined as at least 30 minutes of moderately to strenuous activity per day.
3. A healthy body weight is characterized as having an average body mass index (BMI) that ranges between 18.5 and 24.9.
In essence, smoking is never considered a healthy habit. When the phrase "healthy" is used here, it refers to those who have never smoked.
Can a healthy lifestyle make a difference?
Healthy behaviors have been shown to have a significant influence on our life. Individuals who followed all five behaviors lived much longer lives than those who followed none of them, according to one study. This meant an astonishing 14-year extension for women, and an extra 12-year extension for males if they started these practices at the age of 50. Individuals who did not follow any of these routines, on the other hand, were at a substantially higher risk of dying prematurely from cancers or cardiovascular disease.
Researchers also determined life expectancy based on the number of these five healthy habits individuals followed. Interestingly, just one healthy habit increased life expectancy by two years in both men and women, regardless of which habit it was. Unsurprisingly, having more healthy habits correlated with a longer lifespan. Unfortunately, I can't show you the graphs, but you can find them in the article online on page 7, specifically Graph B titled "Estimated life expectancy at age 50 according to the number of low-risk factors."
This finding is significant and reinforces previous research on the same topic. Many previous studies have also shown similar results. For instance, a study conducted in 2017 using data from the Health and Retirement Study discovered that individuals aged 50 and older, who had a normal weight, never smoked, and consumed alcohol moderately, lived an average of seven years longer. Additionally, a large-scale analysis in 2012, which examined 15 studies from different countries with over 500,000 participants, revealed that more than half of premature deaths were attributed to unhealthy lifestyle choices such as poor diet, lack of exercise, obesity, excessive alcohol consumption, and smoking. This evidence is further supported by numerous other studies.
What is our major problem?
The authors of this study highlight how, in the United States, there is a tendency to excessively allocate funds towards the development of extravagant drugs and treatments for diseases, rather than focusing on preventive measures. This poses a significant issue.
Experts have proposed that the most effective approach to assist individuals in adopting healthy diet and lifestyle changes is through public health initiatives and policy modifications at a broader, societal level. Similar to the implementation of mandatory helmet use for motorcycles and seat belt legislation, these efforts have yielded advancements in addressing tobacco consumption and banning trans fats.
Big industries are strongly opposed to it, naturally. The introduction of guidelines and laws that promote healthier living would result in decreased sales of fast food, chips, and soda for these companies. For profit-driven companies that prioritize money over human well-being, this is infuriating.