At Least 80% Responsibility For Ill Health In Old Age Down to Individual, Study Says
- Reference: 0183319028
- News link: https://science.slashdot.org/story/26/05/22/0522204/at-least-80-responsibility-for-ill-health-in-old-age-down-to-individual-study-says
- Source link:
> Living Longer, Better -- the Oxford Longevity Project's first Age-less report -- was co-authored by an interdisciplinary panel of UK-based experts in medicine, physiology, ageing and education policy. It was sponsored by Oxford Healthspan. The report's authors, Sir Christopher Ball, Sir Muir Gray, Dr Paul Ch'en, Leslie Kenny and Prof Denis Noble, present the figure of 80% as a conservative estimate. [...] The claim, however, has been described as simplistic and said to neglect wider arguments about whether people are genuinely in control of individual choices when it comes to issues including poverty, pollution and healthcare access.
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> [...] Ball, however, pointed to research including the [4]Landmark Twins Study , where researchers concluded at least 75% of human lifespan is determined by environmental and modifiable lifestyle factors. He also cited large-scale analysis led by Oxford Population Health using data from nearly 500,000 UK Biobank participants which found that environmental exposures and habits carry far greater weight in premature death and biological ageing than inherited genetics. The report's recommendations include avoiding processed foods, abstaining entirely from alcohol, prioritising sleep, not eating after 6.30pm, and cultivating what it calls "a not-meat mindset." On alcohol, it takes a position more forthright than current government guidance. "Alcohol is toxic, don't drink it," said Ball. "The report bravely says so -- whereas the government is afraid to tell the public the truth."
[1] https://www.theguardian.com/society/2026/may/20/responsibility-ill-health-old-age-oxford-longevity-project-study
[2] https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5d6cdfd06e3c86000161675c/t/6a0d60a36dd49d5589f16bf5/1779261603177/e-OLP+Report.pdf
[3] https://oxfordlongevityproject.org/smart-ageing-summit
[4] https://www.nasa.gov/humans-in-space/twins-study/
should have been dead ten years ago. (Score:4, Informative)
People with my genetics start dying around age fifty - polycystic kidney disease.
I'm ten years older than that, my blood pressure earlier this evening was 120/70something, my last fasting sugar was around 85, I weigh ten pounds more than I did in college, and I've walked 1,393 miles in the last year. My last vice is caffeine and I will go off it periodically, in one instance for seven years.
I got dealt a terrible hand, health wise, Lyme at forty that triggered a complex immune condition, but I refuse to feel (or look) bad. A lot of it IS in your hands, you just need the will to change. It's not easy ...
Re: (Score:3)
What is the saying- man with no health problems, short life. man with health problem, long life?
Most healthy-ish people aren't aware of the damage they do to their bodies until it is too late, whereas people with chronic conditions are more mindful of their health.
Especially for some careers, they aren't designed with health in mind and falls into to the same personal blame for any shortcomings instead of the system that lead them there.
So, Living Longer is (Always) Better? (Score:3)
This topic always reminds me of a Dilbert strip:
[1]https://featureassets.amuniver... [amuniversal.com]
[1] https://featureassets.amuniversal.com/assets/8416cfe097b4012f2fe400163e41dd5b
Sit around and don't party. (Score:2)
I'd rather die.
Oh fuck. (Score:3)
The report's recommendations include avoiding processed foods, abstaining entirely from alcohol, prioritising sleep, not eating after 6.30pm, and cultivating what it calls "a not-meat mindset." On alcohol, it takes a position more forthright than current government guidance. "Alcohol is toxic, don't drink it," said Ball.
Let's hope I make it through the night.
"Processed foods"!? (Score:2)
Like, bread?
I call BS if that's actually what someone or something says. It's a fighting term of modern-day esoterics who make a religion out of what they eat, thereby to attack (the evil of) modern civilization (which of course is a living hell for a growing number of participants, but for other, sensible reasons), including science, or whatever.
Re: (Score:2)
Yes, damning food just because it is "processed" is stupid, as there are many forms of processing that improve food health-wise, and yes, there is a lot of hysteria around "what diet one eats" with little evidence backing it.
What they should really say could use an abbreviation: "Food processed by greedy corporations that improve their profits at the expense of making it more unhealthy for the consumer should be avoided to become the main component of one's daily intake."
"It's your own Damn fault." (Score:2)
The line used by grifters and swindlers everywhere. Not surprising coming from the regime that claimed it cannot spend money on the public welfare because it has to kill others on the other side of the planet.
Austerity (Score:3)
I don't think a healthy life, in and of itself, is all that laudable a goal. I'm reminded of The Witches of Eastwick... "When I die, I want to be sick. Not healthy." The question is, who benefits from the extended lifespan? Because it came at a cost. Opportunity cost... but a cost nonetheless.
Were I to live an austere life in perfect health, eschewing all of the wonderful but deleterious things life has to offer in favor of longevity, I doubt I would face my death without specific regret. Conversely, if I die in my early 70s of health issues stemming from questionable life choices, I'm pretty sure whatever regret I have would be abstract, and not even all that defendable. "Should have laid off the bacon and scotch... maybe... should I have? They were so good..."
I'm not suggesting people should be unmoderated hedonists. But I salt my cooking until I'm happy with the taste, I love coffee, I think beef tallow is underrated, and my smoker and grill are well loved.
Re: (Score:2)
You're assuming that healthy vs unhealthy is being functional and dropping dead at 90 vs 60. The reality is it's more of a case of prolonged ill health effects vs none.
You should choose a healthy life because it promotes your ability to actually do things in life. Too many fat fuckers unable to walk up the stairs without taking a break, smokers that spend years in hospitals tethered to an oxygen bottle. Damage your liver and kidneys can be a real downer on any activity you choose to do in life, not exercisi
Absolutely. (Score:2)
I did a diploma in performing arts in the the 90ies. The first half of my 20ies was dancing 5+ hours per weekday. I still benefit from that phase. As a teenager I was into climbing. I still have the shoulder muscles from that time, despite totally slacking on strength training. But no smoking, no drugs, no alcohol. And I have been dancing Argentine Tango for the last 18 years, 9 of which where an artsy minimalist lifestyle built around intensely dancing Tango 3+ times a week. My sleep schedule was as off
But why though? (Score:2)
Why would I *want* to needlessly prolong my existance in this post-crapitalist neo-fascist hellscape we're sleepwalking into?
Re: (Score:2)
Well, you could choose to take a risk trying to make it better rather than surrendering to learned helplessness doomerism.
In other news, Tories + Reform abolish NHS (Score:2)
And say healthcare is "your own damn fault, so you pay for it."
They need to show us the data (Score:2)
We need to see the twin's ages at death vs how much processed food they eat.
And a description of how they define and measure "processed food".
Oh fuck off... (Score:2)
"Non-meat mindset". You want to be a veggie? Absolutely fine. But shut the f up and stop telling other people what they should and should not eat themselves.
Life? (Score:4, Insightful)
What is life without beer, steak, and side of potato wedges.
Tell you what, I'll tell my boss I'm going to sleep-in every day for health reasons. I'll give you that one.
Re: (Score:3, Interesting)
That's the point.
A lot of "fun" and "convenient" stuff comes at the cost of our health and we've known this for a century. Look up what "salt of saturn" is. It's Lead Acetate. You know what forms that? Wine.
Alcohol has always been poison. Smoking anything (tobacco, cannabis, crack, meth, etc) Poison.
Meats... There is a reason why in various religions they say not to eat meat, because in the era's they were written in, eating these animals were "unclean". Birds have salmonella. Pigs have Trichinosis. Fish ha
Re: (Score:2)
And how about sex? That generally leads to religion.
Re: (Score:2)
> There is a reason why in various religions they say not to eat meat, because in the era's they were written in, eating these animals were "unclean".
You just lost me when you equated a fantasy generated at a time where hygiene didn't exist to the science of health impacts of modern food consumption.
I'll choose Christianity if I'm forced to pick a religion. That way I can still enjoy bacon and eggs for breakfast. Shame about wanking though I think that God really did think we were going blind.
Re: (Score:2)
There's MDMA, LSD, Psilocybin, and ketamine ;-)
Re: Life? (Score:2)
What boss? The holodeck in your mom's basement hasn't been delivered yet.