New Research: Quitting Smoking Can Boost Lifespan Even at 75
According to recent research, individuals who quit smoking, even at the age of 75, can significantly increase their life expectancy. In other words, people can enhance their longevity by quitting smoking, even in their later years.
Researchers from the University of Michigan’s School of Public Health state that their findings further confirm that quitting smoking is one of the best actions individuals can take to improve their life expectancy. Their evaluation indicates that individuals who quit smoking between the ages of 35 and 75 can add substantial years to their lives.
The Impact of Quitting on Life Expectancy
A separate study involving approximately 13,000 middle-aged men revealed that those who smoked 30 or more cigarettes daily at the study’s outset faced a 21% increased risk of death over the next 25 years. However, numerous studies have shown that quitting smoking at any age is linked to immediate health benefits. Now, researchers at the University of Michigan have discovered that the long-term benefits of quitting smoking are not limited to younger and middle-aged individuals.
Previous research from South Korea also indicated that quitting smoking at any age reduces the risk of cancer.
The Study’s Findings
In the current study, researchers used public health data to estimate the average years of life lost due to smoking and the average years gained by quitting at various ages. The ages considered for quitting were 35, 45, 55, 65, and 75 years.
Individuals who smoked at 35 and continued to do so for the rest of their lives lost an average of about nine years of life compared to those who never smoked—equating to a 23% reduction in overall life expectancy. In contrast, those who quit smoking at 35 had only about a one-year difference in life expectancy compared to non-smokers, meaning they regained an average of approximately eight years.
Additionally, smokers who were 75 years old and continued to smoke for the rest of their lives lost about 4.4 years on average (about 50% of their life expectancy at that age). However, according to probability curves, the chance of gaining at least one additional year of life for those who quit smoking at 65 and 75 years old was 23% and 14%, respectively, which is significant and suggests that it’s never too late to quit.
These findings were published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.
