Thanks to your participation, we’ve learned a lot about heart health, ageing, and related conditions.

Coronary heart disease (CHD)

• About 1 in 4 men already showed signs of CHD at the start of the study (1978–1980).
• Deaths from CHD in the UK have fallen by around half since then.

Cholesterol

• High cholesterol greatly increases CHD risk.
• Average cholesterol levels were very high in the 1970s but have fallen over time, likely due to healthier diets.

Smoking

• Heavy smokers have 3 times the risk of heart disease.
• Quitting reduces risk within 5–10 years.
• Passive smoking also increases risk, though it is now less common.

Weight and diabetes

• Being overweight increases heart disease risk and is strongly linked to diabetes.
• The heaviest men had about 10 times the risk of diabetes compared to the lightest.

Physical activity

• Regular exercise protects against heart disease, even if light or moderate.
• Starting physical activity later in life still brings benefits.

Infections

• Long-term infections do not appear to cause heart disease.
• While inflammation may be linked to risk, the connection isn’t fully clear.

Trends over time

• Heart disease has decreased due to less smoking, healthier diets, and better treatments.
• Diabetes is rising, mainly due to more overweight and less active people.

How to stay healthy

• Don’t smoke
• Stay physically active
• Maintain a healthy weight