Gaby
According to a new large-scale study conducted by Canadian and Norwegian researchers, individuals can extend their lifespan regardless of the age at which they decide to quit smoking.
“Quitting smoking is highly effective in reducing the risk of death, and people can reap these benefits quite quickly,” said Dr. Prabhat Jha from the Unity Health Global Health Research Center in Toronto.
If a person can resist this highly addictive habit for at least ten years, they can expect to live as long as those who have never smoked. This is the conclusion reached by the study’s authors.
They also explained that when a person of any age quits smoking for less than three years, they potentially save five years of their life. If they quit for ten years, they could prevent the loss of ten years.
The younger a smoker decides to kick the harmful habit, the more years of life they can anticipate gaining.
How the Study Was Conducted
The observational study lasted for 15 years. Researchers tracked the health status of nearly 1.5 million adults living in high-income countries: Norway, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Canada. The team was interested in the impact of smoking on lifespan, as reported by Science Alert.
Observations showed that smokers aged 40 to 80 who participated in the study lost an average of 12 to 13 years of life compared to those who had never smoked. However, individuals who managed to quit smoking for ten years appeared to have nearly completely reduced their risk of death from all causes. They also experienced a significant decrease in the risk of mortality from smoking-related threats, such as stroke and heart attack.
“Many people think it’s too late for them to quit smoking, especially in middle age,” noted Dr. Prabhat Jha. However, according to him, the results contradict this belief. “It’s never too late; the effects are quick, and you can reduce your risk of developing diseases, which means a longer and better life,” he added.
Additional Insights from the Researchers
The team’s findings align with previous observational studies that linked the benefits of quitting smoking to a significant increase in lifespan—sometimes by as much as ten years.
Dr. Jha and his colleagues arrived at similar figures using a very large cohort. Their results do not imply that the effects of smoking are entirely reversible. According to the analysis, the risk of death from lung diseases was not significantly reduced among former smokers. Some participants exhibited “long-term irreversible damage to the airways.” This also underscores the importance of consciously fighting against this harmful habit.
Nonetheless, as the researchers assured, quitting smoking remains the most accessible way to significantly improve health and increase lifespan.
The study’s results were published in the NEJM Evidence journal.
