Lifestyle, Alcohol, and Health: What Recent Studies from the Renowned Scientific Journal The Lancet Show About Mortality and Longevity

Recent studies published in journals from the The Lancet group indicate that small adjustments in everyday behaviors—such as physical activity, sleep, and diet—are associated with reduced mortality and increased years of healthy life. These findings contribute to understanding how alcohol consumption, within the broader context of lifestyle, relates to other behaviors and health outcomes over time.

A recent study published in The Lancet analyzed data from large international cohorts and estimated that modest increases in physical activity—about five additional minutes per day—were associated with a meaningful reduction in the number of deaths at the population level¹. Reductions in daily sedentary time were also associated with lower mortality. These results reinforce the importance of everyday behaviors in improving quality of life.

Alcohol consumption is part of the set of habits that characterize population lifestyles. Evidence suggests that patterns of alcohol use may influence levels of physical activity, sleep quality, and dietary choices, shaping distinct trajectories of exposure to risk and protective factors throughout life. This means that reducing alcohol consumption, alongside other beneficial lifestyle changes—such as engaging in physical activity—may have a positive impact on longevity.

Another study, published in eClinicalMedicine, a journal from The Lancet group, evaluated sleep, physical activity, and diet in an integrated manner, demonstrating that simultaneous improvements in these factors are associated with gains in both life expectancy and years lived without chronic diseases². The study highlights that the combined effects of these behaviors tend to be more significant than isolated changes.

In this context, alcohol can be understood as an intrinsic element within a set of interrelated behaviors. Different patterns of consumption coexist with varying sleep routines, levels of physical activity, and dietary habits, all influenced by social, cultural, and environmental factors. Therefore, an integrated analysis of these behaviors may allow for a broader understanding of the determinants of health and longevity.

From a public health perspective, these studies contribute to the debate on multidimensional approaches, recognizing that lifestyle-related factors—such as alcohol consumption, physical activity, sleep, and diet—do not act in isolation. Strategies based on gradual and realistic changes may promote improvements in health outcomes observed at the population level. It is important to emphasize that such strategies should respect individuals’ patterns, beliefs, and lifestyle habits, increasing the likelihood of long-term success.

In summary, recent evidence suggests that small daily adjustments, within a broader context of lifestyle habits that includes alcohol consumption, are associated with meaningful benefits for health and longevity, reinforcing the importance of integrated analyses of behavior and health.

References:

1. Ekelund U, Tarp J, Ding D, Sanchez-Lastra MA, Dalene KE, Anderssen SA, et al. Deaths potentially averted by small changes in physical activity and sedentary time: an individual participant data meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies. Lancet. 2026;407:339–349
2. Koemel NA, Biswas RK, Ahmadi MN, Teixeira-Pinto A, Hamer M, Rezende LFM, et al. Minimum combined sleep, physical activity, and nutrition variations associated with lifespan and healthspan improvements: a population cohort study. eClinicalMedicine. 2025;103741