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The connection between cardiovascular health and longevity. Heart health adds up to 10 extra years of life—discover longer, disease-free living today
Many of the risks that damage your heart can be changed. You could actually add years to your life just by changing a few habits. That is possible. The truth is, your heart health directly affects how long—and how well—you live.
When you take care of your heart, you lower your risk of disease and stay healthier for longer. You don’t just avoid heart attacks. You gain more years without illness. And even if heart problems do show up, strong cardiovascular health can help you live longer afterward.
So, how exactly does heart health connect to longevity? And why is prevention so important?
Cardiovascular health plays a powerful role in how long people live without disease.
One study followed over 111,000 participants from the Nurses’ Health Study and the Health Professionals Follow-up Study. They discovered that adults who followed four or five healthy habits lived much longer without major diseases, especially heart disease. These habits include:
Women at age 50 who had none of these healthy habits lived only 30.2 years free of cardiovascular disease. But women who followed four or five of the habits lived 40.2 years without heart problems. That’s 10 more years of heart-healthy life. For men, the gap was also big. Men with no healthy habits lived just 29.0 years free of cardiovascular disease, while those with four or five habits enjoyed 37.7 years.
This means they added almost 9 extra years to their life without heart disease.
So, good cardiovascular health isn’t just about avoiding heart attacks. It’s also about gaining many more years of life without illness. When your heart is healthy, your whole body works better—and for longer. These extra years are not just about surviving; they are about thriving.
So, why does heart health help you live longer?
The same study also showed that people with better heart health didn’t just avoid getting sick—they also lived longer after getting sick. For example, women who followed four or five healthy habits and still developed heart disease lived much longer after diagnosis than women who followed none. This shows that a healthy lifestyle can help even after heart problems begin.
In fact, the researchers found that half of the women with heart disease who followed all five healthy habits lived nearly 23 years after their diagnosis. Meanwhile, women who followed none lived only 11 years after getting heart disease. For men, the numbers were similar.
The impact of cardiovascular health on longevity is not only about prevention. It also improves survival if the disease does occur.
One study reported that physical inactivity causes around 3.2 million deaths globally each year. It is one of the top four leading causes of death. Lack of activity raises the risk of obesity, high blood pressure, insulin resistance, and poor cholesterol levels—all of which lead to cardiovascular disease. In contrast, regular physical activity improves heart function, lowers inflammation, and helps control weight.
The American Heart Association recommends at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise per week. Studies show that even small amounts of movement improve heart health and reduce the risk of dying early. In the CARDIA cohort, people who followed a plant-based diet and stayed physically active had a 52% lower risk of heart disease.
Excess body weight, especially around the waist, is another strong risk factor.
Obesity (BMI ≥30) now affects 42% of adults in the US, and severe obesity affects 9%. Obesity leads to chronic inflammation and increases the risk for high blood pressure, diabetes, and atherosclerosis. Between 1975 and 2016, the global obesity rate tripled.
Abdominal fat, even in people who are not obese by BMI, is especially dangerous. It increases the chance of heart attacks and strokes by driving up visceral fat, which raises inflammation and harms blood vessels. Cutting calories, eating nutrient-rich food, and exercising regularly can significantly reduce these risks and add healthy years to life.
Uncontrolled high blood pressure damages arteries over time. Even a 2 mmHg decrease in systolic blood pressure lowers the risk of stroke by 6% and heart disease by 4%. Exercise, especially moderate-intensity aerobic activity, has been shown to reduce both systolic and diastolic blood pressure.
Diet plays a role as well. The DASH diet, which limits sodium and includes lots of fruits, vegetables, and lean proteins, has been proven to lower blood pressure by 5–6 mmHg systolic and 3 mmHg diastolic. That drop in blood pressure can translate to fewer heart attacks and strokes and more years of healthy life.
Type 2 diabetes greatly increases the risk of heart attacks, strokes, and early death. 537 million people worldwide had diabetes in 2021, and many more had prediabetes. Diet and exercise are key in preventing and managing diabetes.
In the PREDIMED trial, those who followed a Mediterranean diet had a 52% lower incidence of diabetes. Physical activity improves how the body uses insulin, lowers blood sugar, and prevents diabetes from worsening. These improvements protect the heart and extend lifespan.
Abnormal blood lipids—such as high LDL ("bad") cholesterol or low HDL ("good") cholesterol—contribute to artery damage and plaque buildup.
The same study above found that aerobic exercise helps reduce triglycerides and improve HDL levels. Resistance training also supports better cholesterol levels and lower risk of CVD.
Plant-based diets improve lipid profiles. These diets reduce LDL cholesterol and increase HDL cholesterol. Lowering harmful fats in the blood helps prevent artery blockage, heart attacks, and strokes, which improves both life expectancy and quality of life.
Both excessive alcohol intake and smoking are major modifiable risks. According to a study, smoking damages blood vessels, raises blood pressure, and increases clotting. Even secondhand smoke raises risk. Quitting smoking leads to immediate heart health improvements and a longer lifespan.
Alcohol, when consumed in excess, raises blood pressure and adds empty calories. While light-to-moderate drinking might lower some risks, it can also raise the risk of arrhythmia and other heart issues. Limiting alcohol helps protect long-term heart health.
Harmful changes in the heart and blood vessels begin early—often in the teenage years or early twenties.
The PDAY study showed that signs of advanced atherosclerosis, the buildup of plaque in arteries, were already present in many young adults. In fact, 40% to 60% of young adults with high risk scores had advanced artery damage. This type of plaque can lead to heart attacks later in life. The study proves that early damage is real, and stopping it early can protect the heart for decades.
The CARDIA study confirmed this. It found that health risks measured between ages 18 to 30 were better at predicting future heart problems than tests done later. This means that what happens to your health in your twenties really matters for how long—and how well—you live.
Another study explained that young adults with slightly high blood pressure or cholesterol—even if not yet dangerous—still face higher risks over time. For example, 23.8% of heart disease in young adults is linked to high blood pressure. What’s more, just having slightly elevated LDL cholesterol over many years increases the chance of heart disease.
These findings show that even mild health problems in youth can lead to serious issues later. So it’s better to act early, before things get worse.
Simple habits like eating better, moving more, staying at a healthy weight, and avoiding smoking or too much alcohol can delay major illness and even help you survive longer if you do get sick.
Every year gained without heart disease means more time for family, goals, and living fully. So, the earlier you start, the more time you save.
