Harvard University recently published a study that found that women who lead a healthy lifestyle may cut their risk of long COVID by 49 percent. Long COVID refers to the persistence of symptoms in individuals who have recovered from COVID-19, with some patients experiencing symptoms for months after their initial recovery. The study, which was conducted on nearly 80,000 women, found that women who followed a healthy lifestyle had a lower risk of developing long COVID compared to those who did not.

The healthy lifestyle factors analysed in the study included regular exercise, a healthy diet, non-smoking, moderate alcohol consumption, and a healthy body mass index (BMI). Women who followed four or more of these factors had a 49 percent lower risk of developing long COVID than those who followed only one or none of these factors. The study also found that women who followed all five factors had an even lower risk of developing long COVID.

The study’s lead author, Dr. Lu Qi, stated that the findings highlight the importance of a healthy lifestyle in reducing the risk of long COVID. He emphasized that the findings could have important implications for reducing the overall burden of COVID-19 and for preventing long-term health problems associated with the disease. Dr. Qi also stated that the study provides strong evidence for public health campaigns promoting healthy lifestyle habits to reduce the risk of long COVID.

Additionally, the study found that a healthy lifestyle was associated with a lower risk of developing long COVID regardless of other factors, such as age, race, and socioeconomic status. This suggests that a healthy lifestyle can benefit women of all ages, races, and socioeconomic backgrounds in reducing the risk of long COVID. The study's authors believe that these findings could have a significant impact on public health, as they provide a simple and accessible way for women to reduce their risk of long COVID.

In conclusion, the Harvard University study found that women who lead a healthy lifestyle may cut their risk of long COVID by 49 percent. The study found that women who followed four or more healthy lifestyle factors, including regular exercise, healthy diet, non-smoking, moderate alcohol consumption, and a healthy BMI, had a lower risk of developing long COVID than those who followed only one or none of these factors. The findings emphasize the importance of a healthy lifestyle in reducing the risk of long COVID and have important implications for reducing the overall burden of COVID-19 and preventing long-term health problems associated with the disease.