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How to Live Longer

How to Live Longer

The average human life expectancy is currently 67.59 years. Monaco has the highest life expectancy of any country with an average of 89.68 years (the United States ranks 51st, with an average life expectancy of 78.49 years). What can you do to live longer? Research has found that genes determine 20% to 30% of an individual’s longevity, while the remaining 70% to 80% is determined by environmental factors and an individual’s behaviors. (Hjelmborg & Iachine 2006).

Genes only determine 20% to 30% of an individual’s lifespan. Interestingly, the largest genetic impact occurs after the age of 60 (Hjelmborg & Iachine 2006). New research is beginning to show that the effect of genes on longevity could be much larger after the age of 85 (Sebastiani & Solovieff 2010).

Environmental factors are not as easily changed as behaviors, but fortunately they play a smaller role than behaviors.

A number of studies have shown that adopting or eliminating certain behaviors can greatly affect longevity.

It is possible that you could live a healthy lifestyle and still die early. It’s also possible that someone who smokes lives a long time. However, these are outliers. Habitually engaging in healthy behaviors will improve your odds of living a long and happy life.

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