A new study in Finland has found that smoking, heavy drinking, and physical inactivity in young adulthood can lead to declining physical and mental health by the age of 36. The research, which followed hundreds of participants over 30 years, revealed that those who engaged in all three unhealthy habits experienced significant declines in their well-being scores.
The study, published in the Annals of Medicine, tracked the mental and physical health of participants born in Finland’s Jyväskylä region in the late 1950s. The researchers found that current and cumulative exposure to smoking, heavy drinking, and physical inactivity were associated with poorer mental well-being and increased metabolic risk factors.
Dr. Tiia Kekäläinen, lead author of the study, noted that adopting healthier habits early on can significantly reduce the risks of developing chronic illnesses later in life. “However, it’s never too late to change your lifestyle,” she added. “Adopting healthier habits in midlife also has benefits for older age.”
The researchers emphasized the importance of tackling risky health behaviors as early as possible and highlighted the need for future studies to include other factors such as diet. The study’s findings have implications for individuals born in Finland and similar Western countries, but may not be directly applicable to younger generations due to cultural and societal changes.
Source: https://neurosciencenews.com/bad-habits-mental-health-aging-28725