title: Health behavior characteristics and all-cause mortality.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine the potential dose-response relationship between four positive health characteristics (i.e., normal body mass index, physically active, healthy diet and non-smoker) and all-cause mortality.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data from the 2003-2006 NHANES were used (20 + years; N = 5844), with follow-up through 2011. Participants wore an ActiGraph 7164 accelerometer over a period of up to 7 days to assess physical activity. Dietary behavior and smoking were assessed via self-report. Body mass index was measured using standard procedures.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was a clear dose-response relationship between the number of positive health characteristics and all-cause mortality. After adjusting for age, gender, race-ethnicity and comorbid illness, and compared to those with 0 positive health characteristics, those with 1, 2, 3, and 4, respectively, had a 39% (HR = 0.61; 95% CI: 0.40-0.94), 48% (HR = 0.52; 95% CI: 0.34-0.80), 62% (HR = 0.38; 95% CI: 0.22-0.64) and 88% (HR = 0.12; 95% CI: 0.05-0.29) reduced risk of all-cause mortality.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Adoption of more positive health characteristics is associated with greater survival.
authors.affiliation: Jackson Heart Study Vanguard Center of Oxford, Department of Health, Exercise Science and Recreation Management, Physical Activity Epidemiology Laboratory, The University of Mississippi, 229 Turner Center, University MS, 38677 Oxford, MS, United States.
authors.forename: Paul D
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Loprinzi
keywords: Diet; Epidemiology; Health; Mortality; Physical activity; Smoking; Survival; Weight