Thanks to lifestyle improvements and medical advances, longevity has been increasing over the last century. Once a person has reached the age of 65, they can expect to live to 84 years old.

There are several factors that affect whether you will live to or beyond the average life expectancy. Most of the factors you have control over. However, a few factors are out of your control. Ameriden, your source for men’s health supplements, offers the factors that affect longevity.

Medical Technology

It would be quite extraordinary should medical science come up with a cure to a disease you recently have been diagnosed with. But it has been happening quite a bit in the last 100 years.

Stop for a moment and think about the diseases and conditions we have cured or found ways to defeat. It is a very long list.

Advances in medical technology have had a marked impact on longevity. The development of immunizations and antibiotics are a good start. But we are also living longer thanks to improvements in surgery, cardiac care, imaging and organ transplants.

Lifestyle

Lifestyle factors that affect longevity include diet, exercise use of alcohol, risky behaviors and safety.

The modern lifestyle that impacts longevity the most is obesity. Nearly 5% of adults in America are considered extremely obese, this compares to about 1% in the early 1960s. 30% of American adults are obese, which compares to about 13% in the early 1960s.

In the early 1960s, about 46% of adults in the United States were considered overweight. That figure has climbed all the way to 70%.

Marital Status

This might be a surprise, but married people have a lower mortality rate than people who have never been married, who are widowed or who are divorced. It is suggested that marriage may improve cardiac health. Being married might also help battle loneliness and isolation, which can negatively impact mental health.

Being married also leaves you with someone who motivates you to eat better, exercise and make healthy choices.

Socio-Economic Status

Life expectancy decreases as socio-economic status decreases. There is a direct correlation. Socio-economic status affects a person's ability to access proper medical care as well as their participation in a healthier lifestyle.

Education

Higher education levels are directly linked to improved longevity.

If you have a bachelor’s degree or higher, you can expect to live nearly two years longer than someone with a high school diploma. If you don’t have a high school diploma, your life expectancy is nine years less than someone with a bachelor’s degree.

Childhood Conditions

Poor conditions in utero and in very early childhood are associated with higher mortality rates.

Genetics

Genetics plays a role in everything from hair loss to cancer. Now, hair loss will not contribute to your longevity, but cancer certainly will.

The top 10 causes of death include cancer, heart disease, diabetes, kidney disease and stroke, all of which can be genetically passed on.

Gender

If you are female, you can expect to live longer than your male counterparts. This has a lot to do with risky behaviors. Take a look at what some men do and there is little wonder why they don’t live as long.

You do what you can to live as long as possible. This includes eating right, exercising and taking health supplements from Ameriden. Order yours today.