The secrets to a longer and healthier life have been discovered by researchers and it comes as no surprise to find eating less and exercising more on the list.

Scientists revealed the steps that people in their twenties should take in order to maintain a well-balanced body into their late 40s.

Avoiding alcohol and cigarettes could reduce the risk of troubles later in life, according to the study. They also found that eating less and exercising more can help to lower the risk of disease.

Kiang Liu, a professor at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine told the Daily Mail: “The problem is few adults can maintain ideal cardiovascular health factors as they age.

“Many middle-aged adults develop unhealthy diets, gain weight and aren’t as physically active.

“Such lifestyles, of course, lead to high blood pressure and cholesterol, diabetes and elevated cardiovascular risk.

“In this study, even people with a family history of heart problems were able to have a low cardiovascular disease risk profile if they started living a healthy lifestyle when they were young.

“This supports the notion that lifestyle may play a more prominent role than genetics.”

The study looked at more than 3,000 participants and helped to confirm Liu’s beliefs that the young generation will have many long-term benefits by keeping fit and active earlier in life.

Whilst we may have already been aware of this information, another study reinforces the idea that we need to be thinking actively about our health, especially considering what impacts it may have on us later in life.

Liu continued: “Many studies suggest that people who have low cardiovascular risk in middle age will have a better quality of life, will live longer and will have lower Medicare costs in their older age.

“There are a lot of benefits to maintaining a low-risk profile.”