Healthy Lifestyle Is the Secret to Longer Life, Researchers Say

Not smoking, regular exercise, maintaining normal weight, and avoiding diabetes and high blood pressure seem to be the secrets of living to age 90, researchers say. -- The researchers also found that genes determine about 25 percent of the variation in lifespan. Therefore, 75 percent can be determined by lifestyle. -- “Smoking, diabetes, obesity and hypertension each are predicted to reduce life expectancy by one to five years, while higher physical activity may add up to five years,” the study said. -- Being in a good shape could add as much as 10 years to a man’s lifespan, the study found.
Some with chronic illnesses function as well as healthy peers Detroit Free Press
Comment by Thomas T Perls MD, MPH, Associate Professor Boston Medical Center