Blood Pressure, Weight, Smoking, Lipids, Diabetes — The Reason Why These "Five Classic Factors" Can Change Your Lifespan by Over 10 Years

"Take care of your health"—how many years is it worth?

There are phrases often heard in discussions about health.
"Lower your blood pressure, manage your weight, quit smoking, and control your cholesterol and blood sugar."
It's correct, but it's so "mainstream" that it doesn't really resonate.

However, a study has emerged that estimates, quite forcefully, how many years of life this mainstream set can add. The conclusion is impactful.
People who have none of the classic five risks at age 50 live "more than 10 years" longer than those who have all of them, and the years they can live without developing cardiovascular diseases (such as heart attacks and strokes) can also extend by more than 10 years—.NEJM Group Media Center

Those who think, "It's just another exaggerated health article," will be surprised by the scale of the original data. The study was analyzed using a "world-scale compilation" of 39 countries, 6 continents, 133 cohorts, totaling 2,078,948 people.NEJM Group Media Center

The "five risks" examined in the study

The "five classic risks" referred to here are as follows.

1. High blood pressure (hypertension)

2. Dyslipidemia (such as high cholesterol)

3. Diabetes

4. Smoking

5. Underweight or overweight (including obesity, being outside the appropriate weight range)

These five have been known as "standard members" that burden the heart and blood vessels, increasing the risk of heart attacks, strokes, and death. The researchers assumed that these factors account for a significant portion of the global cardiovascular disease burden and estimated "how much the outlook on life changes at age 50 depending on whether these are 'present/absent.'"NEJM Group Media Center

What does "extend by up to 14 years" mean?

What this study showed is not just an increase or decrease in average lifespan, but rather the difference between"years lived without cardiovascular disease (healthy years)" and "years until death.".

According to the results of the paper, compared to people who have all five risks at age 50, those who havenone of the five are estimated to have

• Women: +13.3 years without cardiovascular disease, +14.5 years until death

• Men: +10.6 years without cardiovascular disease, +11.8 years until death
  .NEJM Group Media Center

Looking at the numbers alone, it seems like "magic," but the underlying mechanism is simple.
People who do not have factors that easily trigger cardiovascular disease by age 50 (or at age 50) statistically experience events (onset or death) later. As a result, the "difference" accumulates in years.

On the other hand, it's important to note that **"having zero risks does not mean zero cardiovascular disease."** The estimate suggests that even people without risks have a certain lifetime risk of cardiovascular disease (around 13% for women and about 21% for men).NEJM Group Media Center

In short, it's not "invincible." However,onset or death is delayed. That affects lifespan (and healthy lifespan).

Here's the realistic part: There's "room for improvement" even after age 50

What makes this article resonate with many people is that it doesn't preach "do it perfectly by age 50." The study also examined the "trajectory (improved/worsened midway)" of risk factors and showed thatimprovements at ages 55-60 also yield significant benefits.NEJM Group Media Center

Two points stood out in particular.

• Improving blood pressure: People who improved their hypertension at ages 55-60 saw the greatest increase in years lived without cardiovascular disease.NEJM Group Media Center

• Quitting smoking: Similarly, those who quit smoking (or eliminated smoking risk) at ages 55-60 saw the greatest increase in years until death.NEJM Group Media Center

In other words, to put it bluntly,
**"first blood pressure," "next quit smoking"** tend to be "investment targets" with significant returns even in the latter half of life.

So what should you do?—Applying the "five items" to reality

Let's translate this into Japanese life.

1) Blood pressure: Those who measure at home win

Hypertension has "few subjective symptoms," yet it steadily damages blood vessels. People who have home blood pressure readings make decisions quickly, not just relying on health checkups.

• Measure at set times in the morning and evening

• First, "understand the current situation" → lifestyle (salt, sleep, exercise) → treatment if necessary
  The result that blood pressure improvement easily affects "healthy years" supports prioritizing actions.NEJM Group Media Center

2) Quitting smoking: The strongest but most difficult

Quitting smoking clearly affects lifespan—and many people know that. This study translates the "magnitude of its effect" into years.NEJM Group Media Center

The key is "design" rather than "willpower."
Using smoking cessation clinics, nicotine replacement, and changing the environment (removing ashtrays and lighters) makes "mobilizing all means" rational.

3) Lipids: Cholesterol is "constitution × habits"

Lipids involve not only diet but also genetics and constitution. Therefore, it's better not to conclude "lack of effort" when health check numbers are bad. Improve diet and use medication if necessary. The study showed with massive data that "whether there is dyslipidemia" relates to long-term outlook.NEJM Group Media Center

4) Weight: Treat both "thinness" and "obesity" as "risks"

Interestingly, the weight risk here includes not only "obesity" but also "thinness." Low weight can signal nutritional status or other diseases. The goal is not a "glamorous physique" but minimal strain on the cardiovascular system.

5) Diabetes: Leaving it unattended is the most costly

Diabetes accelerates vascular aging. Controlling it with diet, exercise, and medication tends to reduce future troubles. The study also treated diabetes as one of the five crucial factors.NEJM Group Media Center

Reactions on SNS/Internet (Reading the "Reasons for Spread")

The reason this topic spreads easily on SNS is the strength of the numbers. Just the phrase "up to 14 years" can move timelines. Indeed, some overseas medical news articles have noticeable "share counts," indicating that the power of headlines is boosting dissemination.NAMD

Reactions on SNS generally fall into the following four types (not quoting specific posts, but organizing discussion points that easily become topics).

• Surprised group: "14 years, that's like two lifetimes difference" → Spreads due to impact

• Calm group: "It's the usual five items. It's not a new discovery but the 'quantification' is new" → Shared as an "aha" moment

• Hopeful group: "If improvements at 55-60 work, it's not too late to start now" → Action declaration/reminder posts

• Skeptical group: "Can it really be 'erased' that neatly? What about individual differences?" → Cautious about misunderstanding the numbers (sense of omnipotence)

The mix of these four types causes comment sections to oscillate between "motivation" and "doubt," further increasing visibility. While health topics are less likely to ignite, they easily become "personal matters," making them suitable for SNS.

Pitfalls readers can easily fall into (avoiding exaggeration)

Finally, let's also note the points to be cautious about for handling numbers correctly.

• It's an observational study: Even with massive data, it does not determine causality like a randomized controlled trial. Factors other than lifestyle (such as medical access, income, education) can also influence.

• "Extending by 14 years" is an average estimate: It does not predict an individual's lifespan directly.

• Still meaningful: However, the fact that consistent estimates are emerging on a global scale strengthens the reason to "prioritize the five mainstream items."NEJM Group Media Center

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