 just last week scientists discovered that a healthy diet at 40 means a healthy life at 70. now comes the study finding that getting to a healthy 40 isn't a given so many people in their 20s assume that since they're young they'll bounce back researchers at uc san francisco found that's not true they followed about 2 400 people over 18 years so this is real data not theory when you're unhealthy in your 20s not exercising and smoking the inflammation in your body causes long-term health consequences