Many people employ the adage that you're only young once to justify making the most of your teens and twenties, yet new information from scientists gives a different meaning to the saying as the effects of smoking, drinking, and a lack of exercise are revealed.
It's not exactly rocket science to understand that unhealthy habits aren't the best for your body, yet it's often chalked off as something you can deal with and sort out down the line while current you doesn't have to face the problem.
Doctors have already warned that consuming too much unhealthy food can lead to a premature death, and even 'miracle' weight loss drugs like Ozempic can't make up for an unhealthy lifestyle.
However, one new scientific study has revealed the exact moment that your body begins to experience the long-term negative effects of harmful habits like smoking, excessive drinking, and a lack of exercise, and it's likely to shock you with how early it occurs.
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As reported by the New York Post, the study published in Annals of Medicine by researchers from the Laurea University of Applied Sciences in Finland outlines that you begin to experience fast-tracked negative effects as early as your mid thirties.
Dr. Tiia Kekäläinen, lead author of the study, has argued that its findings highlight the importance of tackling these 'bad habits' as early as possible, as they can have an extremely detrimental effect on your body and health as you age.
Previous studies have linked high alcohol consumption with increased mortality rates, and worrying simulations showing the effect of binge drinking in the short term are certainly enough to give you pause for thought when it comes to your next pint or shot.
Alcohol, as illustrated by the study, is linked to outcomes including increased depressive symptoms, lower psychological well-being, lower self-rated health, and greater metabolic risk factors, proving to be a dangerous cocktail of health issues that'll hit you sooner than you might think.
If you're a keen smoker, you're also at risk of poorer mental well-being, whereas those who shy away from physical activity in their teens and twenties are often susceptible to health conditions as they grow older.
The research conducted within the paper concludes that these behaviors "were associated with poorer mental well-being and health," insisting that "preventing these behaviors early in adulthood and midlife is crucial to avoid their accumulation and subsequent health risks."
You certainly shouldn't see your life as a closed book though with no chance to amend your health, as Dr. Kekäläinen has urged that "it is never too late to change to healthier habits. Adopting healthier habits in midlife also has benefits for older age."
Therefore there's no reason you can't make a change in your life, as while the effects have been shown to begin relatively early on in life, they'll only continue to grow and get worse if a shift to a healthier lifestyle isn't made.