The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says avoidable behaviors like cigarette use, poor diet and lack of exercise are the underlying cause of half of the deaths in the United States. A new study finds it's never too late to gain health benefits by knocking off such bad habits.

During a five-year study, researchers tested the walking speeds of 2,000 people who either smoke, were smokers, or had never smoked. Current smokers walked more slowly than those who had stopped. The findings will be presented next week at the American Geriatrics Society's Annual Meeting.

The results suggest that even at an older age, changing bad habits such as smoking can positively impact a senior's health later in life. Study leader Alison Moore of the American Geriatrics Society this week suggested five bad habits that should be halted if you wish to live longer. -- LiveScience Staff

5
、Bad Food Choices

weight can cause multiple health problems and complications, including diabetes, heart disease and stroke, Moore said. We'd like to add that it can cause reduced sex desire. Substituting good carbohydrates (sweet potatoes, wheat bread, brown rice) for bad carbohydrates (white potatoes, white bread, white rice) and adding lean proteins, while limiting foods with high fat and sugar contents, will help seniors maintain a healthy weight, she said. Not bad advice for Junior, either.

4、Smoking and Drinking

Smoking and excessive alcohol intake is proven to have negative health effects on a person at any age, but seniors who smoke and drink regularly increase their chances of more advanced medical problems. The effects of many medications are altered when mixed with alcohol, which can pose serious health risks, especially for seniors taking multiple medications, Moore said. Smoking, like obesity, will also curb your sex life.

3
、Couch Potato

Syndrome As people age, they often slow down and feel like they can't do as much as they did when they were young. While physical activity sometimes becomes restricted due to health ailments, that doesn't mean the brain needs to slow down. There are a variety of activities seniors can do to keep their minds focused and sharp, including word puzzles, interactive games, joining a book club or participating in other social and volunteer activities, Moore said. We recently published this helpful summary: 10 Ways to Keep Your Mind Sharp.

2、Messing Up Medications

The majority of seniors are on multiple medications and sometimes find it difficult or too bothersome to remember when and which medications to take each day. As a result, some seniors "adjust" their daily medication routine without talking to their physicians, Moore notes. To help keep medications organized and alleviate frustration, seniors should use weekly or monthly pill boxes and have a family member or friend help them fill pill boxes on a regular basis or make a color coded chart to help keep track of their pills and the times they need to be taken, she said.

1

、Lack of Exercise

Keeping physically active is integral to keeping the heart, mind and bones healthy. For some seniors, physical restrictions make exercise a challenge, but there are still small ways to incorporate physical activity into a daily routine, such as parking further away from the store to get in a short walk. And, programs such as yoga, Pilates or Tai Chi can help with balance and weight loss and can be adapted to all levels of physical ability, Moore said. While it's not yet clear what role exercise plays in weight loss, it is soundly proven to pack a host of health benefits, including helping to keep the mind sharp.

美國疾病預防控製中心表示：在美國，有一半的死亡是受到吸煙、不(bu)合(he)理(li)飲(yin)食(shi)以(yi)及(ji)缺(que)乏(fa)運(yun)動(dong)等(deng)行(xing)為(wei)的(de)潛(qian)在(zai)影(ying)響(xiang)，而(er)這(zhe)些(xie)行(xing)為(wei)是(shi)可(ke)以(yi)避(bi)免(mian)的(de)。一(yi)項(xiang)最(zui)新(xin)研(yan)究(jiu)發(fa)現(xian)
，要(yao)使(shi)健(jian)康(kang)受(shou)益(yi)，任(ren)何(he)時(shi)候(hou)戒(jie)除(chu)這(zhe)些(xie)壞(huai)習(xi)慣(guan)都(dou)不(bu)算(suan)晚(wan)。

在一項為期5年的研究中
，研究者們對2000個吸煙者

、已yi戒jie煙yan者zhe和he從cong不bu吸xi煙yan者zhe的de行xing走zou速su度du進jin行xing了le測ce試shi。尚shang在zai吸xi煙yan者zhe比bi已yi戒jie煙yan者zhe的de行xing走zou速su度du要yao慢man很hen多duo。這zhe些xie發fa現xian將jiang於yu下xia周zhou舉ju行xing的de美mei國guo老lao年nian病bing學xue會hui年nian會hui上shang公gong布bu。

這(zhe)些(xie)研(yan)究(jiu)結(jie)果(guo)顯(xian)示(shi)，即(ji)使(shi)年(nian)歲(sui)已(yi)長(chang)，改(gai)掉(diao)吸(xi)煙(yan)等(deng)壞(huai)習(xi)慣(guan)仍(reng)能(neng)對(dui)老(lao)年(nian)人(ren)晚(wan)年(nian)的(de)健(jian)康(kang)產(chan)生(sheng)積(ji)極(ji)影(ying)響(xiang)。本(ben)周(zhou)，領(ling)導(dao)這(zhe)項(xiang)研(yan)究(jiu)的(de)美(mei)國(guo)老(lao)年(nian)病(bing)學(xue)會(hui)的(de)艾(ai)莉(li)森(sen)-摩爾(Alison Moore) 提出了五個應該戒除的壞習慣——如果你想活得長一點兒的話。——《科學現場》編者

第五項：不合理飲食

艾莉森-摩爾表示，肥胖可以導致多種健康問題和並發症
，包括糖尿病、心髒病和中風。而我們想增加一點

，那就是肥胖還會導致性欲減退。艾莉森-摩爾說，用“好碳水化合物”（比如紅薯
、全麥麵包、糙米）替代“壞碳水化合物”（比如土豆、白麵包、白米），增加瘦肉蛋白，同時限製高脂肪、高糖食物，將會幫助老年人保持健康的體重。

這對年輕人來說也不失為一個好建議。

第四項：吸煙和飲酒

吸煙和過量飲酒被證明對任何年齡的人的健康都有負麵影響，但是那些習慣吸煙和飲酒的老年人們麵臨更多、更複雜的藥物問題。艾莉森-摩爾說，許多藥物與酒精混合後效果會改變，這會為老年人尤其是服用多種藥物的老年人帶來嚴重的健康風險。

第三項：沙發土豆綜合症

當dang年nian紀ji漸jian長chang時shi
，人ren們men常chang常chang會hui行xing動dong遲chi緩huan，並bing且qie覺jiao得de自zi己ji無wu法fa再zai象xiang年nian輕qing時shi那na樣yang做zuo很hen多duo事shi。雖sui然ran身shen體ti的de活huo動dong有you時shi候hou會hui因yin健jian康kang問wen題ti而er受shou到dao限xian製zhi，但dan是shi這zhe並bing不bu意yi味wei著zhe腦nao子zi也ye要yao慢man下xia來lai。艾ai莉li森sen-摩爾說，老年人可以做很多事情以保持思維的集中和敏捷，比如填字遊戲
、互動遊戲、參加讀書俱樂部或者參與其他社會活動和誌願活動。我們最近也發表過一篇有用的概述：保持思維敏捷的10個途徑。

第二項：用藥混亂

daduoshulaonianrentongshizaifuyongduozhongyaowu，youshihoutamenhuijiaodeyaojizhumeitianzaishenmeshihoufuyonghezhongyaowushixiangdangkunnanhemafandeshi。yushihu
，yixielaonianrenmeiyouyuyishengshangliangjiu “調整”了每日用藥程序。艾莉森-moertixingshuo，yaoxiangshiyaowuzuzhiyouxu，bimianyongyaokunrao，laonianrenyinggaishiyongmeizhouhuomeiyueyaopianhe，bingqiexuyaoyigeqinshuhuozhepengyoubangzhutamenanzhaoguilvtianmanyaohe
，huozhezhizuoyigesemabiaobangzhutamenlejieheshigaichishenmeyao。

第一項：缺乏運動

堅持運動對於保持心髒、思(si)維(wei)和(he)骨(gu)骼(ge)的(de)健(jian)康(kang)是(shi)不(bu)可(ke)或(huo)缺(que)的(de)。對(dui)一(yi)些(xie)老(lao)年(nian)人(ren)來(lai)說(shuo)
，身(shen)體(ti)狀(zhuang)況(kuang)的(de)約(yue)束(shu)使(shi)得(de)體(ti)育(yu)鍛(duan)煉(lian)頗(po)具(ju)挑(tiao)戰(zhan)性(xing)
，但(dan)是(shi)仍(reng)然(ran)有(you)些(xie)小(xiao)辦(ban)法(fa)讓(rang)體(ti)育(yu)鍛(duan)煉(lian)成(cheng)為(wei)日(ri)常(chang)活(huo)動(dong)的(de)一(yi)部(bu)分(fen)。比(bi)如(ru)停(ting)車(che)時(shi)離(li)商(shang)場(chang)稍(shao)遠(yuan)一(yi)些(xie)，這(zhe)樣(yang)就(jiu)可(ke)以(yi)進(jin)行(xing)一(yi)次(ci)小(xiao)的(de)徒(tu)步(bu)走(zou)。此(ci)外(wai)，一(yi)些(xie)運(yun)動(dong)項(xiang)目(mu)比(bi)如(ru)瑜(yu)伽(jia)
、普拉提或者太極拳可以幫助保持平衡性和減肥，對不同體質的人們來說都適用，摩爾說。

雖然目前還不清楚體育鍛煉在減肥中是如何發揮作用的，但是非常確定的是體育鍛煉對於健康好處多多，包括幫助保持思維敏捷。