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.

Researchers at Cambridge University have shown that adopting four healthy behaviours – exercising regularly, eating five portions of fruit and vegetables a day, not smoking and drinking moderately – could be worth an extra 14 years.

Research also shows how important marriage is, adding up to a decade to life – at least for men. For women, the picture is more complex, with some research suggesting that the stress and strain of living with a man can take years off a woman's life.

1.8 years

Be a winner

Nobel Prize-winning scientists live nearly two years longer than those who were nominated but who lost out, according to a Warwick University study. Winning an Oscar can also add years, according to Toronto University researchers who studied all the actors to win an award. Winners lived four years longer on average, while double winners bagged an extra six years. One theory is that high social status had a positive effect.

2 years

Eat chocolate

Studies have suggested that dark chocolate is good for the heart and may boost longevity. Research based on Harvard graduates showed chocolate eaters lived a year or so longer than those who do not indulge. Those who ate one to three bars a month came out best with a 36 per cent lower risk of premature death. Antioxidants, especially in dark chocolate, may be responsible.

2.5 years

Have lots of sex

A number of studies have suggested that sex is good for health and longevity. A University of California study reported that it could add more than two years, while a Bristol University study showed that men who have frequent orgasms live longer. The risk of an earlier death in men who had sex twice or more a week was half that of men whose frequency was less than once a month.. The physical exercise and metal sense of well being are thought to be implicated.

3 years

Be religious – and have friends

Regular attendance at church or chapel can be as good for the health as jogging. A study at the University of Pittsburgh showed that weekly attendance at a religious service added two to three years compared with three to five for physical exercise and 2.5 to 3.5 years for people who take statins. "Regular religious attendance is comparable with commonly recommended therapies, and rough estimates suggest religious attendance may be more cost-effective than statins,'' say researchers. One theory is that it reduces stress levels or that the camaraderie increases the ability to cope with stress. A similar effect has been found for having friends. Harvard University research shows that men and women who were less likely to attend church, travel, or take part in social activities were 20 per cent more likely to die early than those who socialised the most. Those who engaged least often in activities such as work, shopping, or gardening, were 35 per cent more likely to die prematurely.

3.6 years

Eat less meat

Diets with low levels of meat and vegetarian diets have been linked to lower risk of premature death. A review of research by public health specialists at Loma Linda University in America looked at the life expectancy of those who rarely ate meat – less than weekly – and found that long-term adherence to such a diet added 3.6 years to life. "Results raise the possibility that a lifestyle pattern that includes a very low meat intake is associated with greater longevity," they say. The health effect may be due to lower saturated fat intake and higher antioxidant levels as a consequence of eating more fruit and vegetables.

3.7 years

Keep active

Moderate to high levels of activity can extend life by between 1.3 and 3.7 years. Researchers at Erasmus University in the Netherlands say the main reason is the beneficial effect that physical activity has on the heart. Exercise also means people are less likely to be overweight and more likely to have a better quality of life.

4 years

Drink wine

Regular drinking of small amounts of wine can add four years to life for a man, according to a Dutch study. Researchers from Wageningen University found that men who drank about half a glass of wine a day were 38 per cent less likely to die prematurely. The researchers suggest that small amount of wine may be good for the heart and that it may prevent blood clots and also boost levels of good cholesterol.

4.1 years

Have low blood pressure and cholesterol

Having a low blood pressure and cholesterol levels are associated with a four-year-longer life span, according to a Yale University report.

5 years

Be educated and play golf

Highly educated women can expect to live more than five years longer than their less-educated contemporaries, while men with a university degree have an extra 7.8 years, according to a Harvard University study. Adoption of healthier lifestyles is one explanation, and one of the biggest differences was in heart disease rates. A Danish study found more modest increases in life expectancy – 2.7 years for well-educated men and 2.2 years for well-educated women. Other research shows that men and women with PhDs live longer than those with Masters degrees, who in turn outlast those with a degree. Research at the Karolinska Institute in Sweden shows that golfers live five years longer. The study shows a 40 per cent reduced risk of a premature end. Exercise may be partly responsible, but the health benefits of companion ship be implicated, too.

6.6 years

Eat well

Adopting a diet proposed by researchers at Erasmus University could increase life expectancy by 6.6 years. The diet involves daily consumption of dark chocolate, almonds, fruits and vegetables, garlic and wine – and fish four times a week. This, say the researchers, could cut heart disease risk by 76 per cent. "It promises to be an effective safe, cheap, and tasty alternative to reduce cardiovascular disease and increase life expectancy in the general population," they say.

7 years

Lose weight

Losing weight can add as much as seven years to life. A team at Oxford University showed that people who are obese at the age of 40 – body mass index or BMI greater than 30 – died, on average, seven years earlier. A Harvard study found that people who gained no more than five pounds between age 20 and midlife had one third the risk of diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, and gallstones as men and women who put on between 11 and 22 pounds.

7.5 years

Stay positive

Study based on 660 people aged over 50 shows that those who had a more positive take on life and ageing lived on average 7.5 years longer than the grouches. Results from the 23-year Yale University study are supported by work in the Netherlands which shows that optimists also live longer. Optimists had a 55 per cent lower risk of early death. Researchers say pessimistic people may be more prone to developing habits and problems that cut life short, such as smoking, obesity and high blood pressure.

8 to 10 years

Don't smoke

Not smoking adds up to 10 years to life. A team at the University of Helsinki found that those who had never smoked lived an average 10 years longer than those who smoked more than 20 a day. Research on men in New Zealand showed that 50 per cent of smokers die prematurely, and that they die 14 years earlier than non-smokers, and heart disease, strokes and cancer are among the biggest killers. The good news for smokers is that it is never too late to give up, According to the US National Institute on Drug Abuse, a 35-year-old man who quits smoking will, on average, increase his life expectancy by 5.1 years. A study at the Erasmus Medical Centre in Rotterdam showed that even men who underwent heart surgery lived three years longer if they gave up smoking after the operation.

10 years (men)

Get married

According to a Chicago University report, married men live, on average, 10 years longer than non-married men, while married women live about four years longer than non-married women. One theory is that men who marry add years to their life because they adopt less risky and more healthy lifestyles as a result of the commitment brought on by marriage. Married women may live longer due to improved combined financial wellbeing as a result of marriage. However, one Swiss study found that being married shortens a woman's life by 1.4 years, possibly due to the stress and strain of living with a man. According to an Australian government report, never marrying increases the risk of death over the next 10 years by 10.6 per cent, while being separated or divorced increases it by 9.4 per cent.

10-plus years

Be happy

A study based on nuns shows that the happiest lived a decade longer than the miserable. The two-year study at the University of Kentucky, found happy nuns were also less likely to develop Alzheimer's. One theory is that happy people are more likely to spot when they are ill and seek help, and less likely to smoke and be stressed.

14 years

Change your lifestyle

Changing four behaviours can add 14 years to life expectancy according to a study based on 20,000 people over 45 led by Cambridge University. Researchers found that those who exercised regularly, ate five portions of fruit and vegetables a day, didn't smoke, and had a moderate alcohol consumption lived an average of 14 years longer than those who adopted none of these behaviours.

20 years

Be wealthy and live in the right neighbourhood

Wealthy people live longer than the poor. One of the starkest contrasts was found by Baltimore health officials in the US. In the impoverished neighbourhoods, average life expectancy

生活快乐、有活跃性生活以及无债务烦恼的人会比生活悲惨之人、节欲者以及穷人要活得更长久。而喜爱吃巧克力的人、常去做礼拜的人和素食者也通常活得更长久一些。新的调查确切地显示了保持良好生活习惯的人们所能活得更长久的确切年数以及这些良好生活习惯--从戒烟、减肥到少食肉类及保持心态积极。

哈佛大学一项对600个人进行的为期60年的监控研究表明，七种生活方式因素决定了我们究竟能否“善终”--不酗酒，不吸烟，婚姻稳定，有规律进行运动，体重正常、发展良好应付机制以及不断受教育深造。

该研究的发起者说：“'寿比南山’不单单只是基因问题或命运所然。保持健康生活方式的选择就能为成就长寿而充满生机的生命铺就一条道路。你是否“善终”了就意味着你不仅活了多长，还有你究竟在这生活过程中有多快乐”。

剑桥大学的研究者表明：采纳以下四种健康生活习惯--有规律运动，每天进食5份水果和蔬菜，不吸烟以及少量饮酒--可延寿14年!

研究者同样指出，婚姻是否美满对于能否延长10年寿命也很重要--至少于男性而言。对于女性，情况就复杂得多。有研究指出，和一个男人生活在一起承受到的压力和过度疲劳能缩短一个女人数年寿命。

1.8 年

做一个胜利者

据沃里克大学一项研究表明，获得诺贝尔奖的科学家比已经被提名却最终落选的科学家要多活至少两年。多伦多大学科学家通过对所有获得奖项的演员进行研究后发现获得奥斯卡奖也可多活好些年。平均而言，获得奖项者可以多活四年，而双奖项获得者则可在此基础上再多活六年。我们依此可得出一个结论，那就是：高的社会地位对于长寿起着积极作用。

2年

进食巧克力

研究表明纯巧克力对心脏有益并且可能推进长寿。基于哈佛大学毕业生的一项调查表明：进食巧克力的人比那些从不纵容自己吃这些的人多活一年左右。那些每个月吃一至三块巧克力的人早死的几率低了36%。抗氧化剂，特别是存在于纯巧克力中的抗氧化剂，也许就是原因所在。

2.5年

多进行性生活

很多调查研究都建议说性生活有益于健康并可促进长寿。加利福利亚的一所大学调查报告说可以增长2年多寿命，而布里斯托尔的一所大学则研究表明性生活比较多的男人活得更长久。一周有两次（或更多次）性生活的男人早死的机率是那些一月不满一次性生活的男人的一半。这应该与性生活过程中的体能运动以及由此获得的满足感有关系。

3年

信教--结交朋友

经常去教堂或小礼拜堂参拜如同慢跑一样对健康有益。匹兹堡大学的一项研究表明每周进行一次宗教礼拜活动相比较做运动增加的2.5至3.5年寿命和使用抑制素增加的3.5年寿命而言，可以增加2至3年寿命。“经常性礼拜活动与一般推荐的医疗活动有同等效用，而初步估计礼拜活动比起使用抑制素来说来可划算多了”。有一点理论是说在做礼拜过程中可以有效减少压力，或者说教友之间的友情增加了对抗压力的能力。结交朋友也有同样的效果。哈佛大学的一项研究表明：那些不怎么上教堂、旅游或参加社交活动的男女比那些经常有社交活动的人们早死的几率多了20%。

3.6 年

少食肉类

少肉多素的饮食与降低过早死亡也大有关联。美国洛美琳达大学的公共健康专家的一项研究调查发现：那些极少吃肉的人（一周不足一次）--如果长期坚持这种饮食习惯的话，可以增加3.6年的寿命。专家们表示：“研究结果使得这么一种可能性提高了：即一种生活方式模式（包括少食肉类）的养成与长寿之间的关联是相当大的”。原因应该是少吃肉使得脂肪摄入少了，而多吃水果和蔬菜则使得硬化防治剂成分的摄入增加了。

3.7年

保持运动

适度运动（而非高强度运动）可以延长生命1.3至3.7年。荷兰伊拉兹玛斯大学的研究者认为主要原因是运动对心脏有益。运动同样意味着人们过度肥胖的可能性减小而享有高质量人生的可能性增多。

4年

饮酒

据荷兰一项研究表明经常性少量饮酒对于男人而言可以延长4年寿命。瓦格宁根大学的研究者们发现那些每天饮大约小半杯酒的男人过早死亡的几率小了约38%。专家建议：少量饮酒可能有益于心脏，而且有可能舒筋活血，促进胆固醇良性转化。

4.1 年

保持低血压和低胆固醇水平

据耶鲁大学的一项报告说明：保持低血压和低胆固醇可以延长4年寿命。

5年

接受教育，打高尔夫球

受过高等教育的女人比起她们同年代受教育程度低的人有望长寿5年，而有大学学位的男人则可多活7.8年，这是哈佛大学的一项研究结果。能够采纳更健康的生活方式是解释之一，而最大的不同区别之一就是得心脏病的比率大为不同。丹麦一项研究明：受过良好教育的男人一定程度上可延长2.7年寿命，而同样的情况下女人则可延长2.2年。其他一些研究则表明无论男女，获得博士学位者比硕士生要活得久一些，而硕士生们又比那些拿有一个普通学位的人要活得长。瑞典卡罗琳斯卡医学院的研究者表示高尔夫球爱好者可以增寿5年。该研究显示：打高尔夫球的人过早死亡的风险降低了40%。打球过程中所作的运动可能是一部分原因，但从中所感受到的友情也是一个不可或缺的因素。

6.6年

饮食科学

采纳由伊拉兹玛斯大学研究者们列出来的一份饮食清单有望增长寿命6.6年。该清单列出一日饮食应包括纯巧克力、杏仁、水果、蔬菜、大蒜和酒，而每周则应该吃四次鱼。研究者们认为，这样做可以减少76%得心脏病的危险。

“这是一种安全有效、便宜而且很吸引人的饮食方式，它能有效降低普通大众心血管病的发生，并能延长寿命。”他们说。

7年

减肥

减肥能增长7年寿命。牛津大学的一组研究人员发现人们在40岁时如果过度肥胖（体重指数或BMI超过30），平均要早死7年。哈佛大学的一项研究发现：对于从20岁至中年阶段的人，如果体重增长不足5磅，那么比起那些体重增长11-22磅的人们，得糖尿病、心脏病、高血压以及胆结石的危险只是1/3.

7.5年

保持积极心态

一项基于660个年龄超过50岁的人们的研究表明：那些对于生命以及“人之变老”持积极态度的人比起那些成天牢骚满腹的人而言平均长寿了7.5年。耶鲁大学曾经在荷兰进行的一场为期23年的研究结果也表明积极乐观者活得更长。乐观者早死的危险不及55%。研究者认为消极者很可能更趋向于发展一些缩短生命的不良习惯及毛病如吸烟、过度肥胖以及高血压。

8-10年

不抽烟

不抽烟可以增寿10年。赫尔辛基大学的一组研究人员发现那些从不抽烟的人比起那些一天抽20多支烟的人平均多活10年。新西兰对男人进行研究发现50%吸烟者过早死亡，比不抽烟者早死了14年，而促使他们早死的“杀手”之中，心脏病、心绞痛以及癌症首当其冲。值得抽烟者欣慰的是，戒烟“犹未为晚”。美国药物滥用民族学院认为：一个35岁的烟民如果戒了烟，平均就能延长他的寿命5.1年。鹿特丹伊拉兹玛斯医学中心的一项研究表明即使是做过心脏手术的人，只要在手术后戒了烟，还是能多活三年。

10年（于男人而言）

结婚

据芝加哥大学一份报道称：结婚男人比不结婚男人平均要多活10年，而结婚女人比不结婚女人要多活的年数大概是4年。有一点理论认为结婚男人之所以能延寿是因为他们在遵循婚姻承诺及义务过程中摒弃了一些不利生活方式而采取了一些更健康的生活方式。而结婚女人有可能活得更长是因为结婚作为结果给她们带来了财政方面更有力的提高及保证。然而，瑞士一项研究发现结婚使得女人的寿命减少了1.4年，很可能是因为婚后与男人同住产生的压力及过度疲劳所致。根据澳大利亚的一份政府报告所称：在未来10年永不结婚所带来的死亡增加率将超过10.6%，而分居或离婚将导致其增加9.4%。

10 年

保持快乐

一项针对尼姑作出的研究表明最快乐者比痛苦悲伤者能多活10年。这项在肯塔基大学进行了两年的研究发现生性快乐的尼姑得阿尔茨海默病（译者注：一种进行性发展的致死性神经退行性疾病）的几率也小得多。有一点理论认为快乐的人们在生病或处于困境时容易获得救助或帮助，并且不太可能去抽烟或深受压力之负。

14年

改变你的生活方式

剑桥大学一项对2万名45岁以上年龄的人们进行的为期14年的研究表明改变4种行为可以增寿14年。研究者们发现那些经常运动、每天吃5份水果和蔬菜、不抽烟以及饮少量酒的人平均比那些没有以上生活行为的人多活14年。

20年

生活富裕，居有好邻

生活富裕之人比贫困者要活得长久。美国巴尔的摩健康办事处就曾经发现了这一明显差别。贫民窟的平均寿命是63年，而富裕区的平均寿命则为83年。
was 63 years, against 83 in wealthy suburbs.