These five risk factors could steal over a DECADE from your life?

If you’re 50 or know someone approaching that milestone, this message is especially for you…

A new, long-term study shows that having the five classic heart disease risk factors at age 50—high blood pressure, high cholesterol, obesity, diabetes, and smoking—can reduce your life expectancy by more than a decade.

But here’s the good news…

You can rewrite your future

If you’re a regular reader, you already know the answer to this looming question: Can lifestyle changes shift this trajectory?

The answer is a resounding YES.

But first, let’s back up and look at the startling results from the new study.

More than 2 million participants were followed for up to 47 years. Heart disease risk factors were assessed at age 50—and longevity estimates were projected up to age 90. And here’s what researchers found…

Compared to those without any risk factors, those with all FIVE at age 50 experienced the following:

• Cardiovascular events occurred 13 years earlier in women and 11 years earlier in men
• Life expectancy dropped by 14.5 years in women and nearly 12 years in men
• Mortality risk increased from 53 to 88 percent in women—and 68 to 94 percent in men

And here’s something even more eye-opening…

Without any risk factors, researchers estimated the lifetime risk of developing heart disease to be 13 percent in women and 21 percent in men. Add in those five risk factors—and the chance nearly doubles.

Small changes make a big impact

The silver lining to all of this? Even modest lifestyle improvements can pay off.

For example, lowering high blood pressure between the ages of 55 and 60 delayed cardiovascular events by 2.4 years in women and 1.2 years in men.

Plus, quitting smoking added 2.1 years for women and 2.4 years for men.

And when participants improved all five risk factors, they gained five extra years of life expectancy.

In my view, the message is clear—and it’s one I often tell you: it’s never too late to change your path. You have far more control over your health—and your longevity—than you’ve been led to believe.

It’s not an easy route—but that, my dear readers, is what keeps me going. I’m dedicated to providing you with the tools you need to make smarter lifestyle choices.

A quick search of the archives on my website will turn up plenty of guidance for whatever ails you—whether it’s weight loss, blood sugar control, heart protection, or more.

And if there’s a specific topic you’d like for me to cover, feel free to send a note to [email protected].

Bottom line? Together, we can uncover the path to a longer, healthier life.

Source:

“Five lifestyle changes by 50 can add a decade to your life, global study finds.” News Medical, 03/31/25. (news-medical.net/news/20250331/Five-lifestyle-changes-by-50-can-add-a-decade-to-your-life-global-study-finds.aspx)