London, Sep 21 (IANS): A British study has found that a healthy old age depends on how much balanced lifestyle we maintain during prime years of life.
It says careful eating, daily exercise, moderate drinking and not smoking could slash risk of ill health during the twilight years, Daily Express reported.
The study by the Medical Research Council studied a group of 2,661 men and women aged between 60 and 64 and found a third had high blood pressure, a third obesity and a quarter high cholesterol.
The authors say the findings, published in the journal PLOS One, could have important implications for the health and social services, with the population over the age of 65 expected to rise by a third to 15.6 million by 2033.
"The good news is that the risk of developing these conditions can be very much reduced by making simple lifestyle changes at a young age," said Diana Kuh of the Medical Research Council.