If You Do These 7 Things, You're More Likely to Be Healthy

The Journal of the American Heart Association published a review entitled "Cardiovascular Health, 2010 to 2020: A Systematic Review of a Decade of Research on Life's Simple 7" on July 16, 2025. The review examined Life's Simple 7 (LS7)--a collection of metrics designed to score and evaluate cardiovascular health (CVH). Researchers found the LS7 metrics can determine more than just cardiovascular health (CVH), they can be an indicator of overall health too.

What is the AHA's LS7?

The LS7 metrics combine health behaviors and factors into a CVH score. It basically says, "Do these things to be healthy." The seven factors it considers are the following:

1. Avoiding tobacco

2. Maintaining a healthy weight

3. Getting sufficient physical activity

4. Eating a healthy and balanced diet

5. Controlling blood pressure

6. Maintaining normal cholesterol

7. Maintaining normal blood sugar levels

In 2022, the AHA added in a number 8 to the list: getting enough healthy sleep. However, for the purposes of evaluating the AHA review, we will only be considering the LS7.

LS7 Data

According to the AHA, these factors have a major impact on overall health. Having at least four of these in the ideal ranges can lower diabetes risk by 75%, five in the right ranges can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease by half, and having six of these on point can lower your risk of cancer by about half.

The AHA study looked at medical journals and reviews from January 1, 2010 to January 1, 2021, evaluating the validity of the LS7 in the real-world. After screening more than 4,500 publications (and including 483), the AHA found that higher scores led to better health throughout the whole body and throughout a person's entire lifespan.

Exceptional Cardiovascular Health is Uncommon

Only around 4% of people worldwide have all seven of the LS7 metrics in the ideal ranges. Even for young people, it's uncommon to see ideal LS7 metrics in all categories. For those adolescents who do have excellent cardiovascular health, it means they are more likely to be healthy later in life (even after age 85).

Having exceptional CVH scores means having better overall health, both physically and mentally. Some studies even found those with better LS7 scores were more likely to maintain vision and hearing, keep their teeth, and keep their muscle strength as they aged than those with lower scores.