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Behavioral Lifestyles and Survival: A Meta-Analysis
Rocío Fernández-Ballesteros1, Elizabeth Valeriano-Lorenzo2, Macarena Sánchez-Izquierdo3
1Department of Psychobiology and Health, Autonomous University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain.
Frontiers in Psychology
|February 21, 2022
Summary
Healthy behavioral lifestyles, including physical activity, good sleep, and healthy weight, are linked to increased longevity in older adults. These habits independently boost survival chances over several years.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Public Health
- Behavioral Science
Background:
- Understanding factors influencing longevity in the elderly is crucial for public health.
- Behavioral lifestyles are increasingly recognized as significant determinants of health outcomes in aging populations.
Approach:
- A comprehensive meta-analysis was performed, synthesizing data from 93 articles encompassing over 2.8 million individuals.
- Literature searches were conducted across major databases (PsycInfo, Medline, PubMed, WoS, Scopus) to identify relevant studies.
- Mortality and survival were the primary outcomes, with analyses exploring potential moderators like participant age, follow-up duration, gender, and publication year.
Key Points:
- Regular physical activity is associated with a higher probability of survival in the elderly.
- Adequate sleep (7-8 hours per night) and engaging in leisure activities independently predict increased longevity.
- Maintaining a healthy weight, avoiding underweight and obesity (BMI considerations), is a significant factor for long-term survival.
Conclusions:
- The study confirms that specific behavioral lifestyle factors significantly predict greater survival rates in older adults.
- Adopting healthy habits such as regular exercise, sufficient sleep, and weight management can enhance longevity.
- These findings underscore the importance of promoting healthy lifestyles for improving healthspan and lifespan in the aging population.
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