If you have the insane desire to live till 114, then this is for you...

People who are happy, having an active sex life, and who avoid debts, outlive the miserable, abstainers and the poor, as do chocolate eaters, churchgoers and vegetarians. New research shows exactly how many years longer people can live by adopting healthy behaviours – from stopping smoking and losing weight to eating less meat and being positive.

A Harvard University study that monitored 600 people for 60 years shows that seven lifestyle factors are key to determining how well we age – avoiding alcohol abuse, not smoking, having a stable marriage, exercising regularly, maintaining a healthy weight, developing good coping mechanisms and pursuing education. 

"Successful ageing isn't simply a matter of genes or fate. Making healthy choices can pave the way for a long, vital life. How well you age will help dictate how long you stay alive and how happy you are to do so," say the authors of the study. More...

See also:

1. Coffee and chocolate the key to long life?
2. Why does a black man living in Washington D.C. die younger than a man in India?
3. Japan, where living up to a 100 years is no big deal...
4. Taking the stairs instead of the lift could save your life...
5. Ernest Borgnine: The secret of long life? I masturbate a lot!!!