Gerrard Kaonga
Scientists have insisted that the 'bad habits' of excess drinking, smoking and lack of exercise should be addressed as soon as possible.
I think most people are fully aware that drinking alcohol, especially in excess, isn’t good for you. And even more people are aware of the many health issues and complications that can occur as a result of smoking cigarettes.
Last year, a study revealed that smoking one cigarette could take 20 minutes off your life.
And just about any expert will tell you the benefits of moving and exercising regularly...but knowing and doing aren’t the same thing.
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With all of that being said, a lot of people around the world put their health at risk by smoking and drinking in excess and rarely exercising, and according to a recent study, that decision could come back to haunt you later on.
The study by the Laurea University of Applied Sciences in Finland have pinpointed when these habits would negatively manifest themselves.
To conduct the study, the team followed the mental and physical health of 326 different individuals born in 1959 in the southern Finnish city of Jyväskylä.
The participants’ data was collected when they were 27 (1986), 36 (1995), 42 (2001), 50 (2009) and 61 (2020-2021). By the end of the study, 120 of the participants had died.
Lead author of the study Dr. Tiia Kekäläinen said: “Our findings highlight the importance of tackling risky health behaviors, such as smoking, heavy drinking and physical inactivity, as early as possible to prevent the damage they do to from building up over the years.”
He added that a person having an unhealthy relationship with any of the three early in life could put them on a fast track to mental and physical health issues by the age of 36.
The study further concluded that smoking was linked to poor mental health, exercising less than once a week was linked to poor physical health and alcohol led to a decline in both.
Dr Kekäläinen also emphasized that it is always beneficial to drop these habits for healthier ones to ultimately extend your life, as he further noted that doing so would also benefit later on in life regardless of the 'bad habits' of youth.
He added: “Non-communicable diseases such as heart disease and cancer cause almost three-quarters of deaths worldwide.
“But by following a healthy lifestyle, an individual can cut their risk of developing these illnesses and reduce their odds of an early death.
“It is never too late to change to healthier habits. Adopting healthier habits in midlife also has benefits for older age.”