Table 2.
Prevalence of Individual and Combined Healthy Lifestyle Factors and Corresponding PAR Estimates for All‐Cause and Cause‐Specific Mortality According to Regular Use of Common Preventive Medications*
| Lifestyle | Medication Users | Medication Nonusers | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prevalence, % | PAR (95% CI), %† | Prevalence, % | PAR (95% CI), %† | |
| All‐cause mortality | ||||
| Never smoking | 44 | 23 (22–24) | 47 | 24 (21–27) |
| Physical activity of ≥30 min/d‡ | 24 | 11 (9–13) | 27 | 10 (5–15) |
| Diet quality of upper 40%§ | 40 | 6 (4–7) | 38 | 8 (4–12) |
| Light to moderate alcohol intake‖ | 65 | 5 (4–6) | 63 | 4 (2–6) |
| BMI <27.5 kg/m2 | 58 | 3 (2–4) | 71 | 1 (−1 to 3) |
| All of the 5 healthy lifestyle factors | 3 | 38 (32–42) | 4 | 40 (29–50) |
| CVD mortality | ||||
| Never smoking | 44 | 16 (14–19) | 47 | 24 (17–31) |
| Physical activity of ≥30 min/d‡ | 24 | 13 (8–17) | 27 | 5 (−7 to 17) |
| Diet quality of upper 40%§ | 40 | 1 (−2 to 4) | 38 | 13 (4–22) |
| Light to moderate alcohol intake‖ | 65 | 8 (6–9) | 63 | 4 (−2 to 10) |
| BMI <27.5 kg/m2 | 58 | 7 (5–9) | 71 | 12 (7–17) |
| All of the 5 healthy lifestyle factors | 3 | 37 (27–46) | 4 | 45 (18–66) |
| Cancer mortality | ||||
| Never smoking | 44 | 29 (27–31) | 47 | 26 (21–30) |
| Physical activity of ≥30 min/d‡ | 24 | 5 (1–9) | 27 | 6 (−2 to 13) |
| Diet quality of upper 40%§ | 40 | 4 (2–7) | 38 | 5 (−1 to 10) |
| Light to moderate alcohol intake‖ | 65 | 4 (2–5) | 63 | 0 (−5 to 5) |
| BMI <27.5 kg/m2 | 58 | 2 (0–4) | 71 | 1 (−2 to 4) |
| All of the 5 healthy lifestyle factors | 3 | 38 (28–46) | 4 | 33 (14–49) |
| Other mortality | ||||
| Never smoking | 44 | 20 (18–22) | 47 | 19 (14–24) |
| Physical activity of ≥30 min/d‡ | 24 | 10 (6–13) | 27 | 14 (7–22) |
| Diet quality of upper 40%§ | 40 | 8 (6–10) | 38 | 8 (2–13) |
| Light to moderate alcohol intake‖ | 65 | 5 (4–7) | 63 | 8 (5–12) |
| BMI <27.5 kg/m2 | 58 | 1 (0–3) | 71 | −8 (−14 to −1) |
| All of the 5 healthy lifestyle factors | 3 | 33 (25–41) | 4 | 38 (20–54) |
BMI indicates body mass index; and CVD, cardiovascular disease.
The medications included aspirin, antihypertensives, and lipid‐lowering medications; regular medication use was defined as use ≥2 tablets per week or ≥2 times per week.
Population‐attributable risks (PARs) and 95% CIs were calculated while adjusting for age, calendar period, ethnicity, current multivitamin use, family history of diabetes mellitus, myocardial infarction, or cancer; menopausal status and hormone use (women only); and the other 4 of the 5 lifestyle factors (except “all of the 5 healthy lifestyle factors”).
Physical activity was of moderate to vigorous intensity requiring the expenditure of ≥3 metabolic equivalents per hour.
Diet quality was based on the Alternate Healthy Eating Index score.
Light to moderate alcohol intake was defined as >0 and <1 drink (14 g alcohol) per day for women, and >0 and <2 drink (28 g alcohol) per day for men.