Association of Healthy Lifestyle With Years Lived Without Major Chronic Diseases

Abstract

Numerous observational studies over the past 80 years have explored the association of lifestyle risk factors, individually and, more recently, collectively, with the risk of mortality and chronic disease.^1,2 Findings suggest that being physically active, being of normal weight, avoiding smoking, and consuming a moderate amount of alcohol confer the lowest risk of total mortality and chronic, noncommunicable disease, particularly cardiovascular disease. Uncertainty exists, however, with regard to the association of such a healthy lifestyle with life expectancy, particularly disease-free life expectancy, a measure that may be more useful for policy communication and public understanding than the ubiquitous relative risk estimates.^3-6