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Study Reveals Path for Men to Follow to Remain Independent and Live Longer

“An individual does have some control over his destiny in terms of what he can do to improve the probability that not only might he live a long time, but also have good health and good function in those older years,” said Dr. Laurel B. Yates, a geriatric specialist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. In a study published during February 2008 in The Archives of Internal Medicine, and reported in the New York Times, it was indicated that men could increase the likelihood of living longer and living well by:

• Abstaining from smoking
• Controlling their weight
• Controlling their blood pressure
• Getting regular exercise
• Avoiding diabetes

The study reports that all of these factors are significantly correlated with the increased probability of healthy survival after the age of 90.

Commencing in 1981, the study followed approximately 2,300 men for as much as 25 years. Each year the men completed questionnaires to update their changing health and lifestyle, and the researchers supplemented this information with tests to determine their mental and physical well being.

After controlling for age and other factors the study indicated:

• Smokers had double the risk of death before 90 compared with nonsmokers
• Those with diabetes increased their risk of death by 86 percent
• Obese men increased their risk by 44 percent
• Those with high blood pressure were 28 percent more at risk
• Men who exercised reduced their risk of death by 20 percent to 30 percent, depending on the type and amount of exercise.

The noted behaviors are modifiable. It may be concluded that longevity and living well are dependent on more than simple good luck and genetic inheritance. A large dose of determination and discipline will no doubt be advantageous in the pursuit of a longer, better life.

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