Health

Study: Bad Habits Start Damaging Health at Age 36

Published APR 25 2025

Story

Image credit: Unsplash

The Facts

A longitudinal study conducted by Finnish researchers tracked 326 individuals born in 1959, following their health from age 27 through 61, and found that unhealthy habits begin impacting both mental and physical health as early as age 36.
The Times (UK)
News Medical
The research, published Thursday in the Annals of Medicine, examined three specific risk behaviors — smoking, heavy drinking (defined as 875+ units yearly for women and 1,250+ units for men), and physical inactivity (exercising less than once weekly), and evaluated participants at ages 27, 36, 42, 50, and 61.
News Medical
Tandfonline
People engaging in all three unhealthy behaviors showed increased depressive symptoms (0.38 points), higher metabolic risk scores (1.49 points), decreased psychological well-being (0.14 points), and lower self-rated health (0.45 points) compared to those with healthier habits.
The Sen Times
The Times (UK)
The research found that physical inactivity particularly correlated with poor physical health, smoking primarily affected mental health, and heavy alcohol consumption negatively impacted both psychological and physical well-being.
EurekAlert!
Independent
Dr Tiia Kekäläinen of Laurea University in Finland said that non-communicable diseases, including heart disease and cancer, cause approximately three-quarters of deaths worldwide, but following a healthy lifestyle can "reduce their odds of an early death."
10Play
Daily Mail
The study's limitations include treating all three risk behaviors equally harmful and not considering other factors such as diet. The authors admit the findings may not fully apply to younger generations due to cultural and societal changes.
EurekAlert!
Tandfonline

Sources Split

LEFT

CENTER

RIGHT

ESTAB
CRIT

CENTER

PRO
ESTAB

The Spin

Narrative A

Damage from unhealthy habits accumulates quietly over time, creating a snowball effect that becomes evident by age 36. This makes early intervention crucial for preventing long-term health consequences and reducing the risk of premature death.

The Sen Times

Narrative B

The relationship between risky behaviors and poor health is likely bidirectional, with stress potentially leading to harmful coping mechanisms like heavy drinking, which in turn causes family and social problems that further deteriorate mental well-being, creating a complex cycle of cause and effect.

EurekAlert!