TUESDAY JAN 8, 2008 (foodconsumer.org) -- A new British study published in the journal PLoS demonstrated a long-known fact that healthy lifestyle including not smoking, physical activity, moderate alcohol consumption and eating five helpings of fruit or vegetables a day help people liver longer, up to 14 years longer compared to those who follow an unhealthy lifestyle.

Researchers at the University of Cambridge and the Medical Research Council followed until 2006 20,000 men and women age 45 to 79 who were free of cancer or heart disease or circulatory disease when entering the study between 1993 and 1997 for their lifestyle behaviors.   Subjects were given one point for each of the four healthy lifestyle behaviors.

They found that after age was considered, people with zero points or who did not follow any of the four healthy behaviors were four times more likely to have died over the period of 11 years than those with four points.

The risk of dying from all causes for those who did not follow the healthy behaviors was the same as that for those who were 14 years older who followed all four healthy lifestyle elements, according to the study sponsored by the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition.

The researchers suggested that these four healthy lifestyle behaviors might drastically improve the health of middle-aged or older people.

A scientist affiliated with foodconsumer.org reminded readers that these healthy lifestyle behaviors by itself may be necessary, but not sufficient in extending people's lifespan by as long as 14 years.  

He explained that the study subjects who followed these four healthy lifestyle behaviors were likely also to be more health-conscious. For example, they might be more likely to eat less junk food or take any behavioral risks.