Researchers say that people can add 14 years to their lifetime by making a handful of lifestyle changes, including moderating their alcohol intake, avoiding smoking, and eating more fruits and vegetables, the BBC reported Jan. 8.

A study of more than 20,000 middle-aged and older people in England between 1993 and 2006 assigned points to those who were nonsmokers, consumed the equivalent of between half a glass of wine and seven glasses of wine weekly, ate five servings of fruit and vegetables daily, and led an active lifestyle.

The authors found that those who scored four points were far less likely to have died during the study period than those with no points, and that those with no points at age 60 had the same risk of dying as a 74-year-old with four points.

Overall, 95 percent of those with four points survived the study period, compared to just 75 percent of those with zero points. The biggest variance between the two groups was observed in the area of cardiovascular disease.

"We've known that individually, measures such as not smoking and exercising can have an impact upon longevity, but this is the first time we have looked at them altogether," said lead researcher Kay-Tee Khaw. "And we also found that social class and BMI -- body mass index -- really did not have a role to play. It means a large proportion of the population really could feel health benefits through moderate changes."

The study was published in the Jan. 7, 2008 issue of the journal PLoS Medicine.