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Most of us assume that risky lifestyle habits only start to matter later in life. But evidence from Finland tells a different story. A rare 30-year project, the Jyväskylä Longitudinal Study of Personality and Social Development, tracked 326 people born in 1960 from their twenties into their sixties.
At age 27, all participants were assessed, and by age 61, 206 were still actively involved—a remarkable level of long-term engagement. The follow-ups at ages 36, 42, 50, and 61 made it possible to see how habits accumulated and shaped health over decades.
The study focused on three specific health risk behaviors:
| Risk behavior | Definition in the study |
|---|---|
| Smoking | Current smokers at each follow-up point |
| Heavy alcohol use | ≥ 7,000 g per year for women, ≥ 10,000 g per year for men* |
| Physical inactivity | Exercising less than once per week |
At each stage, the researchers also measured key health outcomes:
| Health outcome | What was measured |
|---|---|
| Self-reported health | Participants’ own rating of their overall health |
| Mental well-being and depressive symptoms | Psychological well-being scores and presence of depressive symptoms |
| Metabolic risk factors | Blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol, waist circumference, and BMI |
What are health risk behaviors?
Public health research often highlights a core set of lifestyle habits that increase the risk of chronic disease and early mortality. These typically include:
- Smoking
- Heavy drinking
- Lack of exercise
- Unhealthy diets
- Risky sexual behavior
- Violent or injury-prone actions
The Finnish study narrowed its focus to smoking, alcohol, and physical inactivity. As the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) notes, such habits aren’t shaped by individual choice alone—they are influenced by education, income, culture, and access to healthcare.
How fast do risky health behaviours catch up with you?
The Finnish study shows that the impact of unhealthy habits appears much sooner than many think. By the age of 36, people who smoked, drank heavily, and rarely exercised were already in poorer physical and mental health than their peers. As the years went by, the differences only became stronger. Smoking was especially linked to lower mental well-being, heavy alcohol use affected almost every health measure, and lack of exercise raised metabolic risks such as blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol, and waist size. By 61, participants who combined all three risky behaviors had a metabolic risk score 1.49 points higher than those with healthier lifestyles—a difference that translates into a significantly higher risk of developing conditions like type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Everyday habits clearly leave a lasting mark over time.
In other words
Risky health behaviours don’t wait until old age to show their effects—they begin shaping both body and mind much earlier in life, increasing the risk of conditions like heart disease and type 2 diabetes.
What does this mean for you?
While the Finnish study itself was observational, its findings point to clear lessons:
- Habits matter early – measurable health differences can be seen as soon as the mid-30s.
- Consistency counts – long-term repetition of unhealthy behaviors causes far greater harm than occasional lapses.
- Mind and body are connected – the same behaviors that damage physical health also weigh heavily on mental well-being.
Steps toward better health
The good news is that it’s never too late to change course. Inspired by the evidence, here are some practical steps you can take to strengthen your health for the future:
| Action | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Quit smoking | One of the strongest contributors to poor long-term well-being. |
| Keep alcohol in check | Lowering intake well below heavy-drinking levels reduces risks across the board. |
| Stay active | Even exercising once a week is better than none, and more is better. |
| Track your health markers | Follow blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol, and waist size to see the impact of your choices. |
| Supportive routines matter | Good sleep, balanced nutrition, and stress management all reinforce your body’s resilience. |
Even modest changes, when maintained over time, can make a measurable difference in both physical and mental health.
Not sure where to start on your journey to better health? Take a closer look at Purovitalis, explore our blogs, and see how our supplements can support both your physical and mental well-being. Whether it’s boosting energy, supporting joints and muscles, or helping overall wellness, small steps today can add up to big improvements over time.
For a broader look at lifestyle and aging, check out our post on lifestyle and health exposures contributing to epigenetic aging.
References
- Kekäläinen T, Ahola J, Reinilä E, Savikangas T, Kinnunen M-L, Pitkänen T, et al. Cumulative associations between health behaviours, mental well-being, and health over 30 years. Ann Med. 2025;57(1):2479233. doi:10.1080/07853890.2025.2479233
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