Unhealthy in your 20s? The age when your bad habits catch up to you might surprise you

Think your party days won’t catch up with you? New study suggests the consequences of smoking, drinking, and skipping workouts in your younger years start showing up by the time you hit 36. 

 

The study, published in the journal Annals of Medicine, was conducted by the University of Jyvaskyla by tracking the data of about 370 residents of the Finnish city for over 30 years. The data was collected via surveys and medical tests at the ages of 27, 36, 42, 50 and 61.  

 

Experts have pointed out that smoking, heavy drinking and lack of exercise are the main culprits behind the health decline. The health would further decline if the one would continue the unhealthy behaviours in their 40s and 50s, they said.   

 

The ill effects of the unhealthy behaviours were apparent by the time the participants were in their mid-30s. Sleeplessness, anxiety, and other mental health issues that generally occur in the late 30s could be an effect of your past behaviours.

 

The findings highlight the importance of tackling risky health behaviours. It also urges those following an unhealthy lifestyle to stop as early as possible to prevent any serious damage. 

 

According to Tiia Kekalainen, a health scientist at the University of Jyvaskyla's Gerontology Research Center, following a healthy lifestyle can reduce the risk of developing non-communicable disorders such as heart disease and cancer, and also help in longevity. 

 

The findings also revealed that poor physical health was linked to lack of exercise and smoking to poor mental health. While heavy drinking was connected with both mental and physical health. 

Health