BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM
A revolutionary study from the University of Michigan School of Public Health found that stopping smoking will increase your life expectancy regardless of your age. Thuy Le, PhD, David Mendez, PhD, and Kenneth Warner, PhD, led the study, which calls into question the long-held idea that quitting exclusively benefits younger smokers. “We wanted to show that stopping smoking is beneficial at any age and provide an incentive for older people who smoke to quit,” explained Le.
While smoking has been related to a variety of health issues, including cancer, heart disease, and stroke, the plea to quit has typically been aimed at young adults. This new study reminds us that seniors, too, can get considerable health benefits by quitting, even as late as age 75.
How much life can you gain?
The researchers generated life expectancy tables using data from many national sources, calculating how much longer people would live if they stopped smoking at various ages. Their findings were startling: as compared to those who had never smoked, those who quit smoking at ages 35, 45, 55, 65, or 75 gained an average of 8.0, 5.6, 3.4, 1.7, and 0.7 years of life, respectively.
For older persons, the chances of gaining at least one more year of life after quitting were significant—23.4 percent for those stopping at 65 and 14.2 percent for those quitting at 75. Furthermore, almost 10 percent of persons who quit at 65 gained at least eight years of life, while 8 percent of those who quit at 75 gained at least four years. As Warner said, “The cessation benefit is not limited to young and middle-aged adults who smoke; this study demonstrates its applicability to seniors as well.”
A wake-up call for older smokers
The study provides strong evidence for urging elderly smokers to quit. While the benefits of stopping at a young age are well known, the latest data show that even in later life, the good impacts of quitting can be life-changing. These advances, albeit minor in absolute terms, account for a significant amount of a senior’s remaining life expectancy.
The researchers hope that therapists will utilize this evidence to urge older smokers to quit. “The chance of extending life is substantial, and it’s never too late to benefit from quitting,” said Le.
Source study: American Journal of Preventative Medicine—The benefits of quitting smoking at different ages
