I think you also need to have good outlets for other things as well. Eating is one thing but if you don't have an emotional outlet it'll be just as bad as a person who eats horribly.
You need to have ways to cope with stress both good and bad kinds. You don't want to suppress any of it, both biological or emotional. A lot of people try to suppress their emotions and urges.
I don't put much faith in any claim unless science has been consistent on the issue for 20 years. I also believe that quality of time alive is very important, so I am often not interested in diminishing quality of time in order to get more time. For instance I am not interested in eating crappy food so that I might be able to live a bit longer, but if something is clearly bad for me than I will moderate how much of it I eat.
Overall I don't believe in living in fear, and I don't do things simply because I am told that I should.
not if you step out in front of a bus
There is convincing scientific evidence that a low food intake in rats prolongs life as it triggers the body to conserve. The discomfort and discipline to do this is unlikely to make it popular, and how well it may work in humans is open to argument however.
There are data that indicate that any/all of those things increase lifespan.
BUT!!!
Lifespan is just a number. Quality of life during that span is something else. I don't eat correctly, I drink in moderation, I smoke seldom but occasionally, and I hate to exercise. I live life in a way that brings me the most pleasure, not in a manner that maximizes my time on the planet.
If changing all of those things gives me another 5-10 years to live in chronic pain with bad knees and a bad back then I'll check out sooner rather than later.
These behaviors may or may not make any difference for a particular individual.
They do make a difference when one compares the average life expectancy of the populations that do and do not behave in these ways.
Avoiding smoke decreases my chances of developing lung cancer, compared to a smoker.
Moderate exercise improves both my daily existence, and improves my life expectancy compared to someone who does not exercise.
Etc.
Well, since you're stating WILL and WON'T, I don't think your question applies. The evidence points to a causal link between the two, but you could always be shot, or be one of the unfortunate few who get a type of cancer not related to the above.
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