Over half of deaths in women from chronic diseases such as cancer and heart disease could be avoided if they never smoke, keep their weight in check, take exercise and eat a healthy diet low in red meat and trans-fats, according to a study published in BMJ.
Poor diet, lack of physical activity, obesity, alcohol consumption and smoking increase the risk of diseases including cancer and diabetes but little research has examined combinations of lifestyle factors in younger populations and women.
Dr Rob van Dam and his team from the Harvard School of Public Health and Brigham and Women's Hospital, recruited nearly 80 000 women aged 34 to 59 years in 1980 who were part of the Nurses' Health Study in the US. They analyzed the data of over 1.5 million person-years follow up over a 24 year period.