Take Care of Yourself
Excite News - Want to Live to a Healthy 85? Stay Trim
Study participants were in their 50s on average when the research began; 3,369 or 58 percent died before age 85. Health was evaluated at the start and then at eight follow-up examinations.Eleven percent - 655 men - reached a milestone the researchers dubbed “exceptional survival.” That was reaching age 85 without any mental or physical impairment, including cancer, heart disease, stroke, lung disease, Parkinson’s disease and diabetes.
The men who had none of nine disease risk factors at mid-life had a nearly 70 percent chance of living to age 85 and a 55 percent chance of reaching the exceptional milestone.
By contrast, those with six or more risk factors at mid-life had a 22 percent chance of living to age 85 and a less than 10 percent chance of exceptional survival.
The nine mid-life risk factors were: being overweight, meaning a body-mass index of 25 or more; having high blood glucose levels, which can lead to diabetes; having high triglyceride levels, which contribute to heart disease; having high blood pressure; having low grip strength - unable to squeeze at least 86 pounds of pressure with a handheld device; smoking; consuming three or more alcoholic drinks daily; not graduating from high school; and being unmarried.
“These risk factors can be easily measured in a clinical setting and are, for the most part, modifiable,” the researchers said.
Definitely modifiable. If I lose the weight I need to and keep it off, I should be nine for nine.