Metabolic health & longevity

Live longer — and live it well

The habits with the biggest impact on longevity, backed by evidence — with numbers and sources, no fads.

Longevity is built on consistency, not perfection. Here are the pillars with the best scientific evidence — and what each one is worth, in numbers. Small improvements, sustained over time, beat radical changes that last a week.

The starting point

of adults are metabolically healthy

It all starts with your metabolism

Being “metabolically healthy” means having five markers at optimal levels — blood sugar, triglycerides, HDL cholesterol, blood pressure and waist size — without medication. Today, only about 1 in 8 adults has all five. The good news: they are largely modifiable through habits — and they're exactly the markers your check-up helps you know and keep an eye on.

Araújo et al., 2009–2016

The impact of habits

Small decisions, big effects

The size of the benefit linked to each habit, in landmark studies.

Physical activity — lower mortality

−20%

Mediterranean diet — fewer cardiovascular events

−30%

Strong social ties — higher survival

+50%

Quitting smoking before 40 — risk avoided

>90%

Different measures (mortality, events, survival) — each bar shows its own figure. Associations from observational studies and trials; effects vary from person to person.

The six pillars

Where to act, and what each habit is worth

Movement

−20%

risk of death, meeting 150–300 min/week

Physical activity

Accumulate at least 150 minutes of moderate activity per week — brisk walking counts.
Strength-train twice a week: muscle mass is one of the best predictors of healthy ageing.
Break up sitting time: stand up for a few minutes every hour.

Nutrition

−30%

cardiovascular events (Mediterranean diet)

Mediterranean diet (PREDIMED)

Move towards the Mediterranean pattern: vegetables, fruit, legumes, fish, olive oil and whole grains.
Cut ultra-processed foods, sugar and salt — read the labels, the numbers surprise.
Enough protein at every meal, especially after 50.

Sleep

7–8h

the duration with the lowest risk; under 7h or over 9h raise it

Sleep and mortality (meta-analysis)

Protect 7 to 9 hours a night — sleep is when the body repairs and consolidates.
Regular times, even at weekends, stabilise your body clock.
Dark, cool bedroom and no screens in the last hour of the day.

Stress and mind

≈2×

odds of heart attack with permanent stress

Stress and heart attack (INTERHEART)

Chronic stress accelerates ageing — short pauses and slow breathing help more than they seem.
Set aside time for things you enjoy, guilt-free: it is maintenance, not luxury.
If anxiety or low mood persists, talking to a professional is an act of strength.

Alcohol and tobacco

>90%

of the excess risk avoided by quitting before 40

Smoking cessation (Jha)

There is no safe level of tobacco — quitting is, by itself, the single highest-impact longevity decision.
With alcohol, less is always better: keep several alcohol-free days a week.
Ask your doctor for support: effective tools exist for both.

Connection and preventive routine

+50%

survival with strong social ties

Social ties (Holt-Lunstad)

Strong social ties are associated with longer lives — cultivate them like you cultivate exercise.
Keep your check-up and age-appropriate screenings up to date.
Know your numbers (blood pressure, cholesterol, glucose, BMI) and track them over time.

These suggestions are educational and do not replace personalised medical advice.

Take stock — start with the check-up

Start check-up

The check-up is free. The report, if you want it, is €2.00 — once.