Keeping Heart-Healthy in Middle Age Could Mean a Longer Life

Staying healthy throughout middle age could mean a longer life, according to a recent study from Northwestern University.

In fact, the researchers found that those who had optimal heart health in their middle-age years (without any risk factors for cardiovascular disease) lived up to 14 years longer than those who had at least two risk factors.

The study also found that men have a slightly higher chance of developing cardiovascular disease throughout their lives.

Risk factors
We can’t control all the risk factors for cardiovascular disease, such as our family history. But thankfully, many are within our control, and there are many things we can do in our daily lives to reduce our risk of heart disease.

Some of these risk factors include:

• high blood pressure (hypertension)
• high blood cholesterol
• diabetes
• being overweight
• excessive alcohol consumption
• physical inactivity
• smoking
• stress

The risk factors that this particular study examined were blood pressure, total cholesterol, diabetes, and smoking status.