New York, Nov 17 (IANS): People who adopt a healthy lifestyle in their teenage years face a significantly reduced risk of contracting heart diseases, says a new research.

Maintaining a healthy heart while young may help prevent future disease and disability, the findings showed.

"People should adopt and maintain a healthy lifestyle at all ages, especially young," said study lead author Thanh Huyen T. Vu, research assistant professor at the Northwestern University in the US.

A healthy lifestyle has been shown to be associated with favourable levels of cardio-vascular disease risk factors.

In the study spanning more than three decades, participants who were at low risk of heart and blood vessel disease as young adults were found 60 percent less likely to report disability as older adults.

To determine risk level, researchers used blood pressure, cholesterol and body mass index measurements, as well as diabetes and smoking status.

The study involved data from 3,669 men and 2,345 women.

Participants were aged 29-68 when the study began in 1967 to 1973. The researchers co-related the data to the participants' responses to a 2003 health survey about functional disability and quality of life.

The findings were presented at the "American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2014" in Chicago, Illinois.