Add Good Years to Your Life

A new study shows, not only that healthy behavior can add active, satisfying years to your life, but also details how specific unhealthy behaviors shorten lifespan.

Men who maintain a healthy lifestyle during their early elderly years -- including managing their weight, exercising regularly and not smoking -- are more likely to live to the age of 90. This is according to a report from the Archives of Internal Medicine. And, it turns out those added years are good ones. These fit men who live to 90 or more years have better physical function, mental well-being, and self-perceived health in late life compared with men who died at a younger age.

Fact: Studies of twins show that about 25 percent of the variation in human life span can be attributed to genetics. That leaves about 75 percent that could be attributed to behavior.

The researchers estimate that a 70-year-old man who doesn't smoke and has normal blood pressure and weight, no diabetes, and who exercises two to four times per week has a 54 percent probability of living to age 90. However, if he has unhealthy behaviors, his probability of living to age 90 drops from 54 percent to the following amounts:

• Sedentary lifestyle: 44 percent
• Hypertension (high blood pressure): 36 percent
• Obesity: 26 percent
• Smoking: 22 percent
• Three factors (such as sedentary lifestyle, obesity and diabetes): 14 percent
• Five factors: 4 percent