Even in Your 80s, Adopting a Healthier Lifestyle Can Add Years to Your Life

By david Griffiths

Adopting a healthier lifestyle can add years to your life—even in your 80s, according to new research from Japan.

Reducing drinking, not smoking, maintaining a healthy weight, and increasing sleep produce the biggest gains, say scientists.

They increased longevity by six years in healthy 40-year-olds. The benefits were even more prominent in those twice the age.

These gains applied also to individuals with life-threatening illnesses, including cancer, cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, and kidney disease.

The study from Osaka University shows it is never too late to give up bad habits and shed the pounds, from middle age onwards. It was based on almost 50,000 people in Japan who were tracked for up to 20 years.

“This is a particularly important finding given the prevalence of chronic disease has increased globally,” said Senior author Professor Hiroyasu Iso.

The team says taking ownership of your health is key to a pleasurable retirement.

“Idioms and proverbs about the importance of maintaining good health span the ages. Many emphasize how closely health is tied to happiness and the opportunity to live a fulfilling and enjoyable life.”

The study, published in Age and Aging, found that healthy behaviors adopted over time have a marked effect on lifespan.

The researchers found that adopting five or more healthy lifestyle behaviors increased life expectancy even for individuals over 80 years old, and importantly, including those with chronic conditions. They saw results that were dependent on socioeconomic status, policies such as assisted access to healthcare, and lifestyle factors.

30 years ago, participants in The Japan Collaborate Cohort (JACC) Study filled in surveys that included questions about diet and exercise, alcohol consumption, smoking status, sleep duration, and BMI (body mass index). They were also asked about any illnesses.

The aim was to increase knowledge about what factors contribute to death from cancer and cardiovascular disease.

Points were awarded for each healthy behavior and the impact of modifying them on projected lifespan was assessed.

The project continued until December 2009, by which time nearly 9,000 individuals had died.

It is one of the first studies to measure the impact of improvements to health behavior among older individuals in a country with a national life expectancy achieving almost 85 years.

“The finding that lifestyle improvements has a positive impact on health despite chronic health conditions and older age is an empowering one, especially given the increasing prevalence of chronic conditions and longer life,” said lead author Dr. Ryoto Sakaniwa.

Two years ago a study found women can gain ten and men seven years of life free of cancer, heart problems, and type-2 diabetes from a healthy lifestyle. That research was based on 111,000 Americans tracked for more than 20 years.

Lead author Dr Frank Hu, of Harvard School of Public Health, in Boston, described the findings as “a positive message for the public”.“They gain not just more years of life but good years through improved lifestyle choices.” Even in Your 80s, Adopting a Healthier Lifestyle Can Add Years to Your Life

Read More........→June 05, 2026

What is ‘clean eating’ and how can it affect wellbeing?

Gemma Sharp, Adelaide University

A nutritious diet is one of the key ways to stay physically and mentally fit.

Research suggests it may reduce your risk of developing various conditions, including type 2 diabetes, heart disease and certain cancers. Diet may also help protect against depression and other mental health concerns.

But for some people, eating so-called “clean” foods can become an obsession. And social media can exacerbate this.

So what is “clean eating”? And when could it be harmful?

A concerning trend

The term “clean eating” refers to a collection of eating behaviours that are highly focused on “proper nutrition”. These behaviours can become obsessive, as they are often based on restrictive eating patterns and avoiding foods considered to be “unhealthy” or “impure”.

Clean eating has gained traction in the nutrition space, particularly on social media. Platforms such as Instagram and TikTok have popularised messages about avoiding processed products and only eating “pure” foods.

However, these messages most often come from wellness influencers, not health-care professionals. This means the line between balanced nutrition and overly restrictive eating practices is becoming increasingly blurred.

The difference between ‘clean eating’, disordered eating and having an eating disorder

The general concept of clean eating is not inherently harmful. However, it may become a problem if a person’s eating habits are bound by strict rules and are tied to their self-worth. As a result, they may feel anxious or guilty if they eat so-called “impure” or “unhealthy” foods.

Disordered eating is a broad term for problematic eating behaviours that don’t meet the clinical criteria for an eating disorder diagnosis. However, disordered eating can still negatively impact physical and psychological health. For example, it can involve skipping meals, chronic dieting, binge eating, compulsive exercise, body image concerns and an intense preoccupation with food.

An eating disorder is a clinically recognised mental illness that persistently and negatively affects eating behaviours and related thoughts about food, body weight, or body shape. Eating disorders can have serious impacts on physical and mental health and, in some cases, can even be life-threatening. Examples include anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder and avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder.

Orthorexia nervosa – defined as an excessive preoccupation with healthy eating – is not recognised formally as an eating disorder. However, it is associated with the “clean eating” movement. People with orthorexia nervosa may create very strict rules about eating which, if broken, can negatively affect their physical health, social relationships and overall quality of life.

Research suggests various factors may interact in complex ways to contribute to disordered eating. Genetics, dieting, personality traits such as perfectionism, anxiety, body image concerns, social pressures, family experiences and exposure to appearance-focused messages can all potentially increase a person’s risk of disordered eating.

These factors interact differently in each person, meaning some people may be more vulnerable to developing disordered eating than others. However, researchers are yet to fully understand these interactions.

When ‘clean eating’ goes too far

Clean eating can become harmful if it becomes obsessive.

Some patterns that can be associated with unhelpful relationships with food and eating are:

• creating increasingly strict rules around food, such as labelling certain foods as “good” or “bad”

• feeling anxious, guilty or distressed when eating “bad” foods, especially as a reflection of self-worth

• avoiding social and other events, especially those involving food, for fear of deviating from food-based rules

• spending excessive amounts of time thinking about, planning or researching food

• not enjoying the experience of eating, and instead feeling stressed and restricted.

How can I help a loved one who may be struggling?

Here are five practical ideas:

• choose a calm, private time to talk

• focus on your concerns about their wellbeing, rather than their food choices or physical appearance

• aim to listen without judgement and understand their perspective

• avoid arguing about food or trying to convince them to give up their food-based rules

• encourage them to seek support from a health-care professional.

If you or a loved one are concerned about your relationship with food or your body, you can contact the Butterfly Foundation on 1800 33 4673 or through their online chat.

If you would like to join a global research network focused on better understanding eating disorders and related issues, visit the Consortium for Research in Eating Disorders.

Gemma Sharp, Professor, Head of Body Image, Eating and Weight Disorders Research, Adelaide University

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

Read More........→May 27, 2026