Get healthy in your 20s to be fit in your 40s

A study shows that eating less and exercising more when you're young can lower your risk of health problems later in life

A study shows that eating less and exercising more when you're young can lower your risk of health problems later in life.

Researchers found that eating less and exercising more in your 20s will lead to a healthier 40s.

Kiang Liu, a professor at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine found that many women develop unhealthy diets, become less physically active and gain weight as they hit 40 - ‘and few adults maintain ideal cardiovascular health factors as they age,' adds Liu. This can lead to high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes and heart disease.

But researchers have now discovered that even people with a family history of heart problems can combat the disease risk by adopting a healthy lifestyle in their 20s.

The study analysed 3,000 people's blood pressure, cholesterol, alcohol intake, tobacco use, blood sugar, BMI, diet and exercise and found that those who'd been fit and healthy in their 20s were in far better shape now than their couch potato contemporaries who'd only taken up a healthy lifestyle in their 30s.

The study proves that lifestyle factors can be even more influential than genes when it comes to good health - and that keeping fit and active now will reap rewards later on. CLICK HERE FOR MORE HEALTH NEWS