Middle Aged Men Can Live Long If They Want

[one...two...tree 2,762]

If you are a middle-aged man and you want to live a long time, all you need is a good lifestyle - some good genes would also help. Make sure you don't become obese, remember to exercise regularly, keep your blood pressure down, avoid the boozy lifestyle and keep away from foods high in refined sugars, say experts from the Pacific Health Research Institute, Hawaii, USA.

You can read about this new study in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA).

If you look after yourself in this way your chances of reaching 85, and being healthy at that age, are five times greater than for men who stray off the beaten track.

The researchers looked at data on 5,820 Japanese/American males - they had been monitored for four decades. The men were initially monitored in 1965 - at that time they had an average age of 54 and were all healthy.

They were followed up in 2005. The scientists found that the following, either in isolation, or in combination, significantly influenced whether the men lived a long life, and also whether their extra years were healthy ones:

-- obesity

-- alcohol consumption (3+ drinks a day is too much)

-- high blood sugar

-- hypertension (high blood pressure)

-- high level of triglycerides

All the factors listed here contributed towards a reduced lifespan and a higher chance of being unhealthy during old age.

They found that a man who had drunk a lot, was fat, had high blood pressure, smoked and had high levels of sugar and triglycerides in his blood would have a 78% chance of never living till the age of 85. His chances of reaching 90 were just 6%.

However, a man who had drunk either nothing or moderately, had not been overweight, exercised regularly, did not smoke, had normal blood pressure, normal blood sugar levels and normal levels of triglycerides, had a 69% chance of reaching 85 - and also being healthy at that age.

Dr. Bradley Willcox, study leader, was surprised at how starkly the different lifestyles influenced longevity and health. He said that smoking is the major factor here, closely followed by high blood sugar during middle age. The scientists also found that a middle-aged man's grip strength was closely linked to his lifespan - the stronger his grip, the longer he is likely to live. As grip strength is linked to physical fitness, middle-aged men should make sure they do regular physical exercise, they said.

Other factors influence how healthy men are likely to be when they are old - the higher the academic level of a man, the healthier he is likely to be when he is old. Married men live longer than single men, but do not enjoy better health during old age (perhaps they live longer because their wives help them remember to go to their doctors, get their medications, and take them. Also, spouses can become carers).

The study covered the mid sixties to the turn of the century, before many drugs came onto the market.

Midlife Risk Factors and Healthy Survival in Men

Bradley J. Willcox, MD; Qimei He, PhD; Randi Chen, MS; Katsuhiko Yano, MD; Kamal H. Masaki, MD; John S. Grove, PhD; Timothy A. Donlon, PhD; D. Craig Willcox, PhD; J. David Curb, MD

JAMA. 2006;296:2343-2350.