We've all heard the phrase "you are what you eat," and for good reason. The foods we pop on our plates has a profound effect on our health and even our life insurance coverage.
Healthy Eaters Live Longer
A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine saw scientists follow thousands of people between the ages of 30 and 75 for two decades. Their diets and lifestyle habits were closely monitored using a scoring system developed by nutrition experts. The index gives low scores to unhealthy foods and higher scores to healthier ones.
You don’t have to be a scientist to guess that researchers found those with consistently healthy diets scores were 14% less likely to die – from any cause - during the study in comparison to those with poor diets.
Interestingly, when participants increased their diet scores by just 20 points, they enjoyed, at least, an 8% reduction in mortality during the study period. Most of the people studied were over 60 years old, which shows that it’s never too late to improve your diet and reap the reward of a longer life.
Longer Life And Life Insurance
Health-benefits aside, eating well can also improve your finances – decreasing your risk of disease and the subsequent expensive hospital stays and procedures. The state of your health can also have an impact on your life insurance premium.
When applying for a life insurance policy, insurers typically ask questions related to your health and lifestyle including your body mass index (BMI). Use our hand BMI calculator tool to work out if your weight is healthy or not.
Having a higher BMI can increase the risk of chronic diseases, such as heart disease and type 2 diabetes, which can lead to a shorter life expectancy. Those eating a healthier diet will typically enjoy better health and not suffer from as many pre-existing health conditions that might increase their policy premiums.
The Bottom Line
While a nutritious, balanced diet can add years to our lifespan, one that’s full of processed foods, saturated fats, and added sugars can shorten it. So, if you want a longer, healthier life, maintaining a balanced diet is the way to go. Not only will you improve your overall health, but can positively impact you finances including your life insurance policy premiums.
References:
Association of Changes in Diet Quality with Total and Cause-Specific Mortality
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5589446/
Published: January 13, 2018
