Live fast, face health issues young.
People who had an unhealthy relationship with smoking, drinking and exercise early in life ended up on the fast track to mental and physical health troubles by their mid-30s, according to a new study by the Laurea University of Applied Sciences in Finland.
“Our findings highlight the importance of tackling risky health behaviors, such as smoking, heavy drinking and physical inactivity, as early as possible to prevent the damage they do to from building up over the years,” lead author Dr. Tiia Kekäläinen said in a news release on April 24.
Issues caused by bad habits can arise as early as the age of 36, the study showed.
Researchers found that there is an increased risk for health issues and depression as the individual increasingly participates in smoking, drinking and physical inactivity.
More specifically, the study found that smoking was linked to poor mental health, exercising less than once a week was linked to poor physical health and alcohol led to a decline in both mental and physical health.
According to numbers from the study and data from Alcohol Change UK, a heavy drinker is considered to be a man who consumes approximately 735 12 ounce bottles of 5% ABV beer per year and a woman who consumes approximately 515 ounce bottles of 5% ABV beer per year.
But the heavy drinking classification can change depending on the type of beverage a person consumed, per Alcohol Change UK.
“Non-communicable diseases such as heart disease and cancer cause almost three-quarters of deaths worldwide,” Dr. Kekäläinen added. “But by following a healthy lifestyle, an individual can cut their risk of developing these illnesses and reduce their odds of an early death.”
The study followed the mental and physical health of hundreds of people born in 1959 in the southern Finnish city of Jyväskylä.
The participants’ data was collected when they were 27 (1986), 36 (1995), 42 (2001), 50 (2009) and 61 (2020-2021).
The study initially involved 326 participants and ultimately ended with 206 participants.
Even though the study concluded that “preventing these behaviors early in adulthood and midlife is crucial to avoid their accumulation and subsequent health risks,” Dr. Kekäläinen suggested that people can still make positive changes that could impact the rest of their lives.
“However, it is never too late to change to healthier habits. Adopting healthier habits in midlife also has benefits for older age,” said Dr. Kekäläinen.
Dr. Kekäläinen warned that these results may differ for younger generations due to “cultural and societal changes and partly different risky behaviors occurring nowadays.”
A 2023 Gallup survey found that roughly 38% of adults under 35 claim they never drink, representing a 10% increase compared to what was reported two decades prior.
The study’s authors add that they did not examine the participants’ dietary habits and suggest that other factors should be considered in future studies.
