Alameda County Study

The Alameda County Study is a longitudinal study of residents from Alameda County, California, which examines the relationship between lifestyle and health.^[1] The "1965 cohort" were given health questionnaires in 1965, 1973, 1985, 1988, 1994, and 1999. The researchers found that those who followed five practices lived healthier and longer lives:^[2]^[3]

Avoiding smoking.
Exercising regularly.
Maintaining a healthy body weight.
Sleeping seven to eight hours per night. (For related research, see Sleep#Optimal.)
Limiting consumption of alcoholic drinks.

Another study of the Alameda cohort suggests that social and community ties can also help an individual to live longer.^[4]

Later studies of the cohort considered the impact of religiosity, social status, and hearing loss on health outcomes.^[1]

^ ^a ^b Housman, Jeff; Dorman, Steve (September–October 2005). "The Alameda County Study: A Systematic, Chronological Review" (PDF). American Journal of Health Education. 36 (5). Reston, VA: American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance: 302–308. doi:10.1080/19325037.2005.10608200. ISSN 1055-6699. S2CID 39133965. ERIC document number EJ792845. Retrieved 7 June 2010.
^ Housman & Dorman 2005, pp. 303–304. "The linear model supported previous findings, including regular exercise, limited alcohol consumption, abstinence from smoking, sleeping 7-8 hours a night, and maintenance of a healthy weight play an important role in promoting longevity and delaying illness and death." Citing: Wingard, D. L.; Berkman, L. F.; Brand, R. J. (1982). "A multivariate analysis of health-related practices: a nine-year mortality follow-up of the Alameda County Study". Am J Epidemiol. 116 (5): 765–775. doi:10.1093/oxfordjournals.aje.a113466. PMID 7148802.
^ Kaplan, Robert M. (2004). "Alameda County Study". Encyclopedia of Health and Behavior. SAGE Publications, Inc. p. 32. doi:10.4135/9781412952576.n10. ISBN 9780761923602. Retrieved 2019-07-26.
^ Berkman, L. F.; Syme, S. L. (1979). "Social networks, host resistance, and mortality: a nine-year follow-up study of Alameda County residents". Am J Epidemiol. 109 (2): 186–204. doi:10.1093/oxfordjournals.aje.a112674. PMID 425958. (Lay summary in: Brody, Jane E. (12 June 2017). "Social Interaction Is Critical for Mental and Physical Health". Personal Health column. The New York Times.)

[Housman_&_Dorman_2005-1] Housman, Jeff; Dorman, Steve (September–October 2005). "The Alameda County Study: A Systematic, Chronological Review" (PDF). American Journal of Health Education. 36 (5). Reston, VA: American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance: 302–308. doi:10.1080/19325037.2005.10608200. ISSN 1055-6699. S2CID 39133965. ERIC document number EJ792845. Retrieved 7 June 2010.

[2] Housman & Dorman 2005, pp. 303–304. "The linear model supported previous findings, including regular exercise, limited alcohol consumption, abstinence from smoking, sleeping 7-8 hours a night, and maintenance of a healthy weight play an important role in promoting longevity and delaying illness and death." Citing: Wingard, D. L.; Berkman, L. F.; Brand, R. J. (1982). "A multivariate analysis of health-related practices: a nine-year mortality follow-up of the Alameda County Study". Am J Epidemiol. 116 (5): 765–775. doi:10.1093/oxfordjournals.aje.a113466. PMID 7148802.

[3] Kaplan, Robert M. (2004). "Alameda County Study". Encyclopedia of Health and Behavior. SAGE Publications, Inc. p. 32. doi:10.4135/9781412952576.n10. ISBN 9780761923602. Retrieved 2019-07-26.

[4] Berkman, L. F.; Syme, S. L. (1979). "Social networks, host resistance, and mortality: a nine-year follow-up study of Alameda County residents". Am J Epidemiol. 109 (2): 186–204. doi:10.1093/oxfordjournals.aje.a112674. PMID 425958. (Lay summary in: Brody, Jane E. (12 June 2017). "Social Interaction Is Critical for Mental and Physical Health". Personal Health column. The New York Times.)

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