Study Reveals Secrets to Adventist Longevity

[Chief]

What if I told you that simple, everyday choices could add up to 10 years to your life? It might sound like a stretch, but a groundbreaking study of California Seventh-Day Adventists shows it’s not just possible, it’s already happening. These Adventists, known for their focus on healthy living, outlive the average Californian by as much as 7 years for men and 4 years for women. Even more impressive? The study found that certain combinations of diet, exercise, and other habits can extend life by a full decade.

So, what’s behind this longevity boost? And can you tap into it too? Let’s break down the research and explore the practical steps you can take to live longer and healthier.

A Real-World Look at Longevity​

The research, published in Archives of Internal Medicine in 2001, followed 34,192 California Seventh-Day Adventists from 1976 to 1988. Why Adventists? Adventism encourages healthy habits - like vegetarianism, regular exercise, and avoiding smoking - though not everyone follows these rules strictly. That variety made them perfect for studying how different lifestyle choices affect life expectancy.

Researchers collected detailed data via questionnaires about diet, exercise, smoking history, body weight, and, for women, hormone replacement therapy (HRT). They tracked deaths over 12 years, comparing Adventists to other Californians and analyzing differences within the Adventist group itself. The result? Hard evidence that lifestyle choices can dramatically extend life.

Adventist men lived 7.28 years longer than other Californian men, while Adventist women gained 4.42 years. Within the group, those who made the healthiest choices lived up to 10 years longer than those who didn’t.

Key Lifestyle Factors That Boost Life Expectancy​

The study pinpointed six habits that independently increase life expectancy. Here’s what they found, complete with the years you could gain:

• Vegetarian Diet: Adventists who ate meat less than once a month (classified as vegetarians) lived about 2 years longer than those who ate meat regularly. Vegetarian diets are lower in saturated fats and higher in fiber and antioxidants, which may cut the risk of heart disease and cancer.
• Frequent Nut Consumption: Eating nuts 5 or more times a week added 1.5 to 2.5 years. Nuts are loaded with healthy fats and antioxidants that lower cholesterol and protect against heart disease.
• Regular Exercise: Those who did vigorous activity, like running or swimming, for at least 15 minutes, three times a week, gained 1.5 to 2 years. Exercise boosts heart health, helps control weight, and may reduce cancer risk.
• Healthy Body Weight: A medium body mass index (BMI), not too low or too high, was linked to 1.5 to 2 extra years. Staying at a healthy weight lowers the odds of diabetes, heart disease, and other conditions.
• No Smoking: Most Adventists don’t smoke, but the study compared past smokers to never-smokers. Avoiding smoking added about 2 years by preventing lung cancer, heart disease, and more.
• Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT): For women, using HRT was associated with 1 to 2 extra years. HRT may support bone health and reduce some risks, though it’s a complex choice that requires medical advice.

Each of these habits alone makes a difference, but the real power comes when you stack them together.

The Combined Effect: A Decade of Extra Life​

Picture this: Two people start at age 30. One eats a vegetarian diet, exercises regularly, maintains a healthy weight, never smokes, and enjoys nuts often. The other eats meat frequently, skips exercise, carries extra weight, and smoked in the past. According to the study, the healthier person could live up to 10 years longer - 10.8 years for men and 9.8 years for women when all factors are optimized.

It’s not just about extra years, either. Other studies suggest these habits lead to fewer hospital visits, less medication, and a better quality of life as you age. The Adventists aren’t just living longer - they’re living better.

Does This Apply to You?​

You might be thinking, “Great for those Adventists, but what about me?” The researchers tackled this question head-on. There’s no evidence that Adventists are biologically unique. Their longevity comes from behaviors - like eating less meat or staying active - that should work for anyone. The study even tested these effects with risk factors set to “high” (like the general population might face) and found similar results. Whether you’re religious or not, these principles are universal.

Even the Healthy Can Do Better​

Here’s a twist: even among Adventists, who already beat the average, many were losing about 4 years of life due to less-than-perfect choices. Half the group wasn’t fully optimizing their habits, like eating meat occasionally or skipping exercise. If even this long-lived bunch has room to grow, imagine the potential for the rest of the population.

Simple Steps to Start Today​

You don’t need to overhaul your life overnight to see benefits. The study shows that even small shifts can add years. Here’s how to get started:

• Go Meatless Sometimes: Try cutting meat once a week (think “Meatless Mondays”) to ease into a more plant-based diet.
• Snack on Nuts: Grab a handful of almonds or walnuts a few times a week for a heart-healthy boost.
• Move More: Aim for 15 minutes of brisk walking, jogging, or cycling three times a week.
• Balance Your Weight: Focus on steady, healthy eating and activity to maintain a medium BMI.
• Ditch Smoking: If you smoke, seek help to quit. If you don’t, keep it that way.
• Ask About HRT (Women): Talk to your doctor about whether hormone replacement therapy makes sense for you.

These aren’t all-or-nothing rules. The study found that moderate improvements, like eating nuts a few times a week, still pay off over time.

You Hold the Key​

The California Seventh-Day Adventists prove that lifestyle choices can add a decade to your life. By tweaking what you eat, how you move, and whether you smoke, you could gain 10 years - maybe more. It’s not just about longevity; it’s about staying vibrant and healthy as you go.

You don’t have to be perfect. Start with one change, build from there, and watch the benefits grow. The power to live longer and better is yours, why not use it?

 

[rob]

Nice presentation Chief

A breakaway video challenged us SDA with something that few of us can answer

"Where in the moral law is the commandment for healthy living"?

The judgements are about defining the moral law in small details:

Ex 22:29 Thou shalt not delay to offer the first of thy ripe fruits, and of thy liquors: the firstborn of thy sons shalt thou give unto me.
30 Likewise shalt thou do with thine oxen, and with thy sheep: seven days it shall be with his dam; on the eighth day thou shalt give it me.
31 And ye shall be holy men unto me: neither shall ye eat any flesh that is torn of beasts in the field; ye shall cast it to the dogs.
(KJV)

These are all heath principles, about eating properly, so where in the moral law are these judgements found?

 

[Chief]

God demands that we live healthful lives and failure to comply has dire consequences

1 Corinthians 3:16-18 (KJV) "Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are. Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise."

Living and eating carelessly puts one at risk of ruining their own health, something akin to deliberately destroying their own life (or death by suicide if you will). In the moral law, God says in Exodus 20:13 "You shall not kill".

 

[rob]

Nice try Chief

I would say the Sabbath commandment is about the faith principle of health.

Let me explain


How is Sabbath based on health principles?

Ex 31:17 It is a sign between me and the children of Israel for ever: for in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed. (KJV as it reads fuzzy translation)

The word "refreshed" is the Hebrew verb form of "nephesh".

The word "nephesh" in a noun form is generally thought to mean "soul".

But both verb and noun forms should have the same basic meaning, only differences in action.

Therefore my two pennies, for resolving the meaning for "nephesh" as both verb and noun:

Nephesh in a verb form means "energized" and in a noun form means "living-energy".

This means during Sabbath our living-energy is energized when we share our provider love and responder love with others. But energizing power not only depends upon the divine power within us, but also physical health as well. Energizing is a health principle.

Impurities in a battery system affect the battery system's power ability. This implies the light input, the correct balance of light, sound and voice commands, as well as words, and prayer spoken, as well as nutrition eaten, and exercise undertaken, etc, etc, all these factor impact the condition of your energizing ability. There are numerous health rules in the OT that have not changed when under the NT. The seed grows in the former rains and the latter rains, and it is the same Lord who rains both (Hosea 6:3) . Jesus is the same manna from heaven as Israel ate of old in the OT under the process of faith, but they failed to see faith as a condition of their salvation. The condition of salvation based on faith in Romans 10: 2-4 comes from the OT in Deuteronomy. When you study the physical things, you find GOD is very particular. The sanctuary for example is designed in great details, but many electrical mysteries and other properties were mysteries, as was manna, some say was a wholesome biologically complete food, the physical symbol of faith from heaven.

Nu 21:5 And the people spake against God, and against Moses, Wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? for there is no bread, neither is there any water; and our soul loatheth this light bread.
(KJV)

But Israel did not want powers from faith, they liked the world as its sensual tasty food and luxury, the desert wilderness requires one to ask for food every day by faith, and we dislike this light bread of faith. Where does the NT speak of the luxury of the world literals?

Re 18:3 For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies.



The request of God is to come out of world literals into divine literals, but you have to ask for this:




Re 18:4 And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her,

But we loathe asking all the time, and this light bread is not as tasty as a triple layered burger....we enjoy empowering ourselves with human power doing what is right in our own eyes. But this is NOT faith.

Some EGW insights into "living energy" as a concept:

(1) The cold formalism that is now prevailing among us must give place to the living energy of experimental godliness.
(2) It is the living energy of the Holy Spirit that will move hearts, not pleasing, deceptive theories.
(3) They must be whole-souled Christians, possessing the earnestness and living energy derived from Christ....
(4) ...formal religion, a feeble faith, does not correspond to the truth we profess. It demands living energy and fervency of spirit. It must be heart-felt with us, if we would urge it to the hearts of others

And for "energy" and "Sabbath"
(1) that on the Sabbath they have no strength or energy to give to the service of God.
(2) Wide awake energy is to be used in making the Sabbath a time of refreshing, because the Saviour’s presence is in your midst. {Lt22-1897

So Sabbath is about claiming the faith promise to energize ourselves with energy. This is done many ways, the most common is to share God's fruit in you with others. Shalom

 

[Chief]

Thank you @rob for this reply. A good reminder, even to myself, to take time and recharge. That's why Sabbath is a sanctuary in time to let God recreate us and energize us more. The cares of the world surely do deplete our energy, resolve, purpose.

God bless you.

 

[rob]

Yes chief, thanks, I did not know the Sabbath is actually about health. Shalom health. You total health. Time out is also a health issue. Time for recharging your batteries in yourself and others is also about health.

That's why the faith principle is centre to the ten.