In a newly published study, Neil Mehta and Mikko Myrskylä used HRS data to study Americans age 50 and older who had never smoked, who consumed moderate amounts of alcohol, and who were not obese. They found that, compared to the entire US population, this group could expect to live 7 years longer, including up to 6 more years of disabiliy-free life. Pointing out the importance to population health its members’ “behavioral profile,” Mehta says that while health risk behaviors certainly jeopardize individuals in terms of their chances of living a long life free of disabilities, “from a societal perspective, caring for individuals with disability is very costly and our study shows that risky behaviors are significantly increasing the burden of early disability.” The researchers say their findings demonstrate “the importance of prioritizing policies to implement behavioral-based interventions.”

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