Smoking, overeating, and having high blood pressure and cholesterol can shave up to 15 years off the lifespan of middle-aged men, according to researchers at the U.K.'s Care Quality Commission.

The Times of London reported Sept. 18 that the study of 19,000 men measured the longevity impact of various health risk factors among men over age 50.

Cardiovascular disease accounted for more of the early deaths. Researchers said that many cases of the disease go unnoticed by physicians, but also that reduced smoking and increased use of cholesterol-lowering drugs have helped spur a decline in overall death rates.

The study was published online in the British Medical Journal.