Research indicates smoking shortens life expectancy 10 years

January 29, 2013 — According to a study published this week in the New England Journal of Medicine, life expectancy among smokers is 10 years shorter on average than those who never smoke.

The study also indicates that adults who had quit smoking at age 25 to 34, 35 to 44, or 45 to 54 years gained about 10, 9, and 6 years of life expectancy, respectively. The study examined data collected from a U.S. National Health Interview Survey between 1997 and 2004.

Survey participants included 113,752 women and 88,496 men 25 years of age or older. The rate of death from any cause among current smokers is about three times that of non-smokers. Help your patients quit smoking by offering them ACA’s Healthy Living fact sheet on smoking cessation.

Source: American Chiropractic Association, acatoday.org