CDC: 4 Ways to Live Longer

Most people know that healthy eating and exercise can lead to longer lives, but many might not realize just how much these and other behaviors can help.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control has shown in a study behaviors like not smoking, eating fruits and vegetables, regular exercise and staying away from alcohol can make you 63 percent more likely to live longer than some others who might not practice these healthy habits.

After studying people who engaged in all four healthy behaviors, the CDC reported that they were:

• 66 percent less likely to die early from cancer;
• 65 percent less likely to die early from cardiovascular disease;
• and 57 percent less likely to die early from other causes when compared to people who do not engage in healthy behaviors.

In the study titled "Low Risk Lifestyle Behaviors and All-Cause Mortality: Findings from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey III Mortality Study," researchers studied data from the CDC’s National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, which followed participants who were recruited between 1988 and 1994 up to 2006.

"If you want to lead a longer life and feel better, you should adopt healthy behaviors—not smoking, getting regular physical activity, eating healthy, and avoiding excessive alcohol use," said CDC Director Thomas R. Frieden in a statement on Aug. 18 when the healthy living statistics were released.