CHICAGO -- One of the largest, longest studies of aging found one more reason to stay trim and active: It could greatly raise your odds of living to at least age 85.
In fact, chances of being healthy in old age are better than even for people who at mid-life have normal blood pressure, good grip strength and several other physical characteristics associated with being fit and active.
Other habits long linked with good health and well-being -- avoiding smoking and excess alcohol, and being married -- also improved chances of surviving well into the 80s.
The results, which appear in today's Journal of the American Medical Association, found:
58% of the study participants, who were in their 50s on average when the research began, died before age 85.
11% reached a milestone the researchers dubbed "exceptional survival." That was reaching age 85 without any mental or physical impairment, including cancer, heart disease, stroke, lung disease, Parkinson's disease and diabetes.
70% was the chance men had of living to age 85 if they had none of nine disease risk factors at mid-life and a 55 percent chance of reaching the exceptional milestone.
22% was the chance men with six or more risk factors at mid-life had of living to age 85 and a less than 10 percent chance of exceptional survival.
The nine mid-life risk factors:
Being overweight, meaning a body-mass index of 25 or more.
Having high blood glucose levels, which can lead to diabetes.
Having high triglyceride levels, which contribute to heart disease.
Having high blood pressure.
Having low grip strength -- unable to squeeze at least 86 pounds of pressure with a handheld device.
Smoking.
Consuming three or more alcoholic drinks daily.
Not graduating high school.
Being unmarried.
The study was paid for by grants from the National Institutes of Health and the Hawaii Community Foundation.
