In this article written by PA Media and published by The Guardian, the author states that adopting healthy habits may extend the ability to live a disease-free life by about ten years. Some healthy habits include drinking moderate amounts of beverages, exercising and maintaining healthy body weight. Individuals who adopt these healthy behaviours are more likely to enjoy more years of good health than those who smoked, drank alcohol or were overweight (Sample, 2018). The low-risk habits that characterize a healthy lifestyle include never smoking, maintaining a healthy body mass index (BMI) of between 18-24, engaging in moderate and vigorous activities for about 30 minutes every day, moderate alcohol intake and consuming a healthy diet.
Women who adopt a healthy lifestyle had an extended life expectancy and disease-free life at 50 of 34.4 more years. This indicates that these women would get to 84 years without chronic illnesses such as diabetes, cardiovascular illnesses or cancer. Women who do not adopt a healthy lifestyle have 23.7 more years of leading a disease-free life at 50 (PA Media, 2020). Among men aged 50, adopting a healthy lifestyle would increase their life expectancy and disease-free life by 31.1 years. This is compared to 23.5 years the men who did not adopt any healthy lifestyle behaviours. Smoking more than 15 cigarettes daily and being obese were the two factors associated with the worst chances of living a disease-free life.
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To enhance a healthy lifestyle in the population, the author suggests that it is necessary to develop public policies. For example, creating public policies to improve food production and develop a physical environment are essential factors that would enhance the adoption of a healthy lifestyle (PA Media, 2020). Other policies and regulations that ban cigarette smoking in public spaces and restricting the intake of processed foods are critical factors that would improve life expectancy and reduce the likelihood of suffering from major chronic diseases.
References
PA Media. (January 8, 2020). Healthy habits extend disease-free life “by up to a decade.” The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/society/2020/jan/08/healthy-habits-extend-disease-free-life-by-up-to-a-decade
Sample, I. (April 30, 2018). The five habits that can add more than a decade to your life. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/science/2018/apr/30/the-five-habits-that-can-add-more-than-a-decade-to-your-life
