UK Report Says We're 80% Responsible For Our Own Health
- Thread starter Della
- Start date
MACKTEXAS
Well-known Member
My dad died at 73 of Parkinsons Disease and he had heart trouble as well. For whatever reason, I got neither of those. My mother was generally healthy in a physical way but developed Alzheimer's, which I don't have but could get at any time.
I also believe that much is up to us, but I can't take credit for living a healty lifestyle down through the years. I really didn't. The best thing I ever did for myself was give up alcohol years ago. If I hadn't, I don't believe I would still be here. I do try to eat meals that are good for me, even though I consume more sugar than I should.
I also believe that much is up to us, but I can't take credit for living a healty lifestyle down through the years. I really didn't. The best thing I ever did for myself was give up alcohol years ago. If I hadn't, I don't believe I would still be here. I do try to eat meals that are good for me, even though I consume more sugar than I should.
That's me, Mack. I gave up smoking in 1993 and think I wouldn't be here if I hadn't. I never drink alcohol and I eat healthy meals, but boy that 8 0'clock sugar snack is the worst. I've been trying to have a bowl of Cheerios then instead of ice cream or cookies but I'm prone to wander.
hearlady
Homebody
- Location
- N Carolina
Same here. Giving up alcohol was the best thing I ever did.
I try to eat well and exercise but you never know. When it's your time...say good bye.
StarSong
Awkward is my Superpower
- Location
- Sunny Southern California ♥
I'm less concerned with adding years to my life than life to my years. My focus has become avoiding falls, becoming bed or wheelchair bound, or dementia-addled.
None of the above are fully controllable by lifestyle habits, but I'm doing my best to mitigate the risks with a plant-based diet plus a few vitamins & supplement. Also a commitment to a five day a week, 30 minute per day online program of balance and strengthening exercises. (Much to my surprise, I've been sticking with the exercise class faithfully for over nine weeks!)
Social contacts also being important, I'm in frequent touch with family and friends, drink almost no alcohol — perhaps a drink a month — avoid processed foods as much as possible (nobody's perfect), have cut back considerably on sweets, no smoking, no drugs outside of a daily statin and thyroid meds. I only rarely take a naproxen or ibuprofen... rarely more than one per week. if that.
Sometimes I do need half an OTC sleep med though. Falling and staying asleep is difficult for me.
Not sure I can do more than that. At 73, I'm still spry, strong and healthy. Knock on wood.
None of the above are fully controllable by lifestyle habits, but I'm doing my best to mitigate the risks with a plant-based diet plus a few vitamins & supplement. Also a commitment to a five day a week, 30 minute per day online program of balance and strengthening exercises. (Much to my surprise, I've been sticking with the exercise class faithfully for over nine weeks!)
Social contacts also being important, I'm in frequent touch with family and friends, drink almost no alcohol — perhaps a drink a month — avoid processed foods as much as possible (nobody's perfect), have cut back considerably on sweets, no smoking, no drugs outside of a daily statin and thyroid meds. I only rarely take a naproxen or ibuprofen... rarely more than one per week. if that.
Sometimes I do need half an OTC sleep med though. Falling and staying asleep is difficult for me.
Not sure I can do more than that. At 73, I'm still spry, strong and healthy. Knock on wood.
I agree with the comment about the article that it is too simplistic.
genetics and luck are also very much responsible for health outcomes - all we can do is increase our chances by addressing modifiable risks.
I also would dispute recomendations like Dont eat after 6:30 - I dont see any value in that one.
I also think drinking alcohol in sensible moderation is ok and certainly alcohol is not the great issue the report claims. Neither is meat.
If you want to be a vegetarian or a teetotaller, that's fine - but not a neccesary component of healthy living.
Far more nuance than that.
Black and white recomendations like that are too simplistic
Address the big issues - weight, excercise, overall healthy eating, don't smoke, get screening tests (pap smears etc) as recomended, vaccianations as recomended
But don't see it in absolutes.
genetics and luck are also very much responsible for health outcomes - all we can do is increase our chances by addressing modifiable risks.
I also would dispute recomendations like Dont eat after 6:30 - I dont see any value in that one.
I also think drinking alcohol in sensible moderation is ok and certainly alcohol is not the great issue the report claims. Neither is meat.
If you want to be a vegetarian or a teetotaller, that's fine - but not a neccesary component of healthy living.
Far more nuance than that.
Black and white recomendations like that are too simplistic
Address the big issues - weight, excercise, overall healthy eating, don't smoke, get screening tests (pap smears etc) as recomended, vaccianations as recomended
But don't see it in absolutes.
retiredtraveler
Senior Member
When I saw the title to the thread, I think of Type II diabetes. I read an article some years ago from the American Diabetes Association. It stated that we have, in the U.S. 750,000 to almost a million new cases of Type II diabetes every year. The big takeaway is that they claim that 90% of the cases were 100% avoidable. It was a lack of doing enough, if anything, to prevent getting the disease. That's a lot of people giving themselves an incurable disease.
LoveTulips
Senior Member
- Location
- British Columbia, Canada
Totally agree. I also disagree with everyone blaming restaurants, etc. for causing weight problems because of the large portions or the unhealthy food that they may serve. What, is someone force feeding you??? And unless there is a medical reason ( e.g. your meds are causing you to gain weight), no one should be overweight.
My mother had epileptic seizures and TIAs from her 50's on. She later suffered from congestive heart failure. She passed away at 89. I think my genes are most closely tied to hers because I am thin like she was and have high cholesterol. I've also suffered from severe depression like she did, yet I have none of the physical issues (at least now, fingers crossed).
My father had low cholesterol and was a larger man. He died of a bowel issue at 78 that could have completely been corrected if caught earlier.
So, I'm also not sure about the "genetic" thing. I think I have fairly good family genes, since my grandfather lived to be 98 and smoked all his life, but it's up to me to take it to the next level. I think exercise, the way we eat and overall better medications can add productive years to our lives.
My father had low cholesterol and was a larger man. He died of a bowel issue at 78 that could have completely been corrected if caught earlier.
So, I'm also not sure about the "genetic" thing. I think I have fairly good family genes, since my grandfather lived to be 98 and smoked all his life, but it's up to me to take it to the next level. I think exercise, the way we eat and overall better medications can add productive years to our lives.
Wombat
Member
- Location
- Wollongong
Is it that simple? Why do life expectancies vary so much from country to country? I mean say for example OECD countries, it is obviously not relevant to compare very poor country to a very rich but look at the countries represented on this forum. They are in no particular order just how I found them.
There is about a 5 year difference between the longest and the shortest in countries with, I would have thought, similar life styles and individual wealth.
How does one explain the difference?
The left figure is average for both sexes, middle for females, right males
Life Expectancy by Country and in the World (2026) - Worldometer
There is about a 5 year difference between the longest and the shortest in countries with, I would have thought, similar life styles and individual wealth.
How does one explain the difference?
The left figure is average for both sexes, middle for females, right males
Life Expectancy by Country and in the World (2026) - Worldometer
One of many factors: Canada and the UK have ~4% of blacks in the population, Australia has <2%, and the United States has ~14%. For whatever reason(s) blacks on average do not live as long as most other segments.
For the US:
KFF.org
For the US:
- Despite these increases, life expectancy was lowest for AIAN people at 70.1 years, followed by Black people, whose expectancy was 74 years as of 2023. In comparison, life expectancy was 78.4 years for White people and 81.3 years for Hispanic people. Life expectancy was highest for Asian people at 85.2 years. Data were not available for Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander (NHPI) people.
KFF.org