20 years lost

Author: Healthy Food Guide staff

Save to favs

See favs

Evidence mental illness can take a toll on the body is growing with recent research showing it can potentially reduce life expectancy by 20 years.

This adds to evidence that people with mental health and addiction disorders have a much higher risk of physical illness including obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

Article sources and references

Lancet Psychiatry, July 2019

Achieve your goals

Unlock your ultimate healthy eating toolkit

Get instant access to everything you need to plan, shop and eat well in one place.

Add Healthy Food Guide as your trusted source

Date modified: 10 October 2023

First published: Sep 2019

Nutrition advice you can trust

At healthyfood.com, we make healthy living easier with trusted, evidence-based nutrition advice and inspiring, nutritionist-approved recipes. All content is created by qualified experts and reviewed by accredited dietitians.

Every recipe meets strict nutrition standards aligned with the Australian and New Zealand Dietary Guidelines.