Elsevier’s new study published in the *American Journal of Preventive Medicine* reveals that even quitting smoking at 75 can significantly extend one’s life expectancy. The study, spearheaded by Thuy T.T. Le, PhD, along with David Mendez, PhD, and Kenneth E. Warner, PhD, from the University of Michigan’s Department of Health Management and Policy, assesses the impact of smoking on life expectancy across different age brackets ranging from 35 to 75. While it is acknowledged that the advantages of smoking cessation decrease with age, the research highlights that notable benefits persist for older adults.
Thuy T.T. Le and her colleagues highlight a stark contrast in smoking trends between young adults and their older counterparts. Over the last decade, smoking rates among young adults have plummeted, yet they have plateaued among older adults. This study addresses a gap in existing research by quantifying the benefits of smoking cessation for seniors, aiming to encourage those who smoke to consider quitting, regardless of their age.
Smoking is known to introduce thousands of harmful chemicals into the body, affecting nearly every organ and increasing the risk of numerous diseases, including various cancers, stroke, heart disease, and lung diseases. It remains the leading cause of premature, preventable death in the United States, with around 480,000 deaths attributed to smoking each year. Prior research uniformly indicates that quitting smoking at any age can result in health benefits.
This pioneering study quantifies explicitly the benefits of smoking cessation for individuals over the age of 65. Using relative risks related to all-cause mortality due to smoking, the researchers developed life tables to showcase the benefits of stopping smoking at various ages. Their findings reveal that current smokers, who have smoked continuously into adulthood, lose a significant amount of life years compared to non-smokers. For instance, smokers aged 35, 45, 55, 65, and 75 lose an average of 9.1, 8.3, 7.3, 5.9, and 4.4 years of life, respectively, if they continue smoking. However, quitting at these ages can prevent an average loss of 8.0, 5.6, 3.4, 1.7, and 0.7 years, respectively. Notably, those who cease smoking at 65 have a 23.4% chance of gaining at least one year of life, and this chance decreases to 14.2% at the age of 75.
The study conclusively supports the notion that quitting smoking is the most effective measure to enhance longevity. It found that nearly 10% of individuals who quit smoking at age 65 can gain up to 8 additional years of life compared to those who continue smoking. Similarly, those who quit by age 75 can gain up to 4 additional years, representing a significant percentage of their remaining life expectancy. For a 75-year-old who smokes, the average life expectancy is 9 years; if they quit, they regain, on average, 0.7 years, and about 8% of quitters regain at least 4 years.
Dr. Warner concludes that the benefits of smoking cessation are substantial even for older adults, enhancing a significant portion of their remaining life expectancy. This evidence is vital for healthcare providers seeking empirical support to encourage their older patients to stop smoking. This research underlines that it is never too late to quit smoking and reap substantial health benefits, thereby potentially extending one’s life significantly.
More information: Thuy T.T. Le et al, The Benefits of Quitting Smoking at Different Ages, American Journal of Preventive Medicine. DOI: 10.1016/j.amepre.2024.06.020
Journal information: American Journal of Preventive Medicine Provided by Elsevier
