Which of the following habits will cut diabetes risk, even after age 65?
1. Regular exercise
2. Healthy eating
3. Light or moderate alcohol consumption
4. Abstinence from smoking
5. A body mass index of less than 25 or a waist size under 34.6 inches for women and
36.2 inches for men
The answer is all of the above. In a 10-year study on cardiovascular health conducted by the Harvard School of Public Health, nearly 5,000 men and women ages 65 and older were monitored for their adherence to these five healthy habits. Those who adopted all five healthy habits had the lowest risk of developing diabetes. And those who didn’t comply perfectly but engaged in one or more of the five healthy habits were able to reduce their risk. Researchers concluded that “even later in life, combined lifestyle factors are associated with a markedly lower incidence of new-onset diabetes mellitus.”
Source: Tufts University Health & Nutrition Letter. August 2009, Volume 27, Number 6
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