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Healthy Habits

Everyone wants to live a long and healthy life. Researchers studying longevity, or how long a person lives, look at people”s lifestyles, including their habits. They do this because they want to know which habits help people live longer.

In 1970, some scientists asked 7,000 people in the United States about their habits. Then, they checked to see how long the people Iived. The scientists learned that the people with the longest lives:

1. ate breakfast every day.

2. didnt eat snacks between meals.

3. weren't too heavy or too thin.

4. exercised regularly.

5. slept seven to eight hours every night—no more, no less.

6. didn’t smoke.

7. drank plenty of water every day.

These seven habits made a big difference. People who did all of these things lived 12 years longer than people who did only one, two, or three.

Habits are unlike other longevity factors—such as genes or environment—because people can change their habits. It’s not always easy, but it’s possible to learn good habits and break bad ones.

So, how can people successfully change their habits? Scientists say to make changes slowly. It’s important to have clear goals. A goal like “live a healthier lifestyle” sounds good, but isn’t clear. How will you do this exactly? A clearer goal is, for example, to take a walk every evening, or to stop eating snacks between meals. And to break a bad habit, some experts suggest replacing it. For example, if a person is trying to quit smoking, they should drink a glass of water or go for a short walk when they feel like they want a cigarette. Experts also say you should be patient. Changing habits takes time, and nobody does it perfectly the first time.

factor (n) one thing that influences a situation

genes (n) cells in your body with information passed down from your parents that decides how you will develop (for example, to have blue eyes or to be tall)