WHAT IS THE ASSOCIATION OF CARDIOVASCULAR HEALTH levels with life expectancy free of major chronic diseases? Basically, a high level of cardiovascular health, evaluated using eight metrics, was associated with longer life and health span. Today, we look at 8 ways to extend life.
A new study leveraged the United Kingdom Biobank and included over 135,000 adults with an average age of 55. Today we examine the eight key lifestyle behavioral factors.
“You’ve gotta dance like there’s nobody watching,
Love like you’ll never be hurt,
Sing like there’s nobody listening,
And live like it’s heaven on earth.”
― William W. Purkey
Life’s essential 8 metric (eight ways to extend life)
We begin with the American Heart Association (AHA) Life’s Essential 8 (LE8) metric. It is a metric to assess and promote cardiovascular health. It consists of eight health factors and behaviors that contribute to a healthy lifestyle and reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke. These eight metrics are:
- Physical activity. Aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity per week or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic activity per week.
- Diet. Consume a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein, and low-fat dairy products. Limit your intake of saturated and trans fats, added sugars, and sodium.
- Healthy weight. Maintain a body mass index within the healthy range of 18.5 to 24.9.
- Blood pressure. Keep your blood pressure below 120/80 mmHg.
- Cholesterol. Maintain healthy levels of total cholesterol, LDL (bad) cholesterol, and HDL (good) cholesterol.
- Blood glucose. Keep your fasting blood glucose level below 100 mg/dL.
- Smoking. Do not smoke, and avoid exposure to secondhand smoke.
- Healthy sleep. Aim for an average of seven to nine hours of sleep nightly.
By focusing on these eight metrics, individuals can improve their overall health and reduce their risk of developing heart disease and stroke.
Extending life and health span
To better understand the associations between cardiovascular health (estimated using the Essential 8 metrics) with life expectancy free of major chronic disease. The last included cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, and dementia in adults in the United Kingdom.
The study included over 135,000 adults in the UK Biobank who were initially free of major chronic diseases. All had complete data in LE8 metrics.
Researchers divided the study population into three groups: those with low, moderate, and high scores on the Life’s Essential 8 metric. The average life expectancy free of chronic disease was estimated to be age 50, with 25 additional years in men and 30 additional years in women.
The primary outcome was life expectancy free of four major chronic diseases (cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, and dementia).
Study results
Here are the estimated disease-free years at age 50, stratified by low, moderate, and high cardiovascular health levels:
Disease-free survival for men
- Low cardiovascular health: 21.5 years
- Moderate cardiovascular health: 25.5 years
- High cardiovascular health levels: 28.4 years
Disease-free survival for women
- Low cardiovascular health: 24.2 years
- Moderate cardiovascular health: 30.5 years
- High cardiovascular health levels: 33.6 years
Indeed, there was no difference in disease-free life expectancy for study subjects with high cardiovascular health levels between participants with low and another socioeconomic status.
My take – 8 ways to extend life
The study revealed large differences in life and health spans when comparing different levels of cardiovascular health.
There was a 9.5-year difference between women with high and low cardiovascular health scores. For men, those with high (compared with those with low) cardiovascular health scores tended to have an additional seven years of life expectancy.
Moreover, those with good heart health tended to have fewer years living with chronic diseases such as heart attack, stroke, dementia, diabetes, and cancer.
Interestingly, the gain in life expectancy free of chronic disease appeared similar across all socioeconomic classes. The researchers analyzed the results by educational level, income level, and the Townsend deprivation index.
Eight ways to improve life and health expectancy
In brief, this study highlights the importance of lifestyle factors in extending health span (and years free of chronic disease). Improving my life and healthspan is a powerful motivator to optimize my health. Certainly, I have worked hard to get my average sleep to the seven-hour mark. On diet, I am a work in progress; I get enough fruits, but vegetables? Eventually, I will get better.
Finally, from a population health perspective, we in the United States do a poor job of emphasizing a healthy lifestyle. As study author JoAnn E. Manson, MD, DrPH notes, we need better public policy to make a healthy lifestyle accessible and affordable to all individuals across the socioeconomic spectrum. All should have ways to optimize the 8 ways to improve life and health expectancy.
I recently wrote about the excess mortality problem in the United States:
We Have an Excess Death Problem in America. Why?
EXCESS MORTALITY IS AN UNUSUAL MORTALITY INCREASE during a specific period in a given population. We have an excess…medium.com
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The information I provided in this blog is for educational purposes only and does not substitute for professional medical advice. Please consult a medical professional or healthcare provider for medical advice, diagnoses, or treatment. I am not liable for risks or issues associated with using or acting upon the information in this blog.
Finally, thank you for reading “8 Ways to Extend Life.”
