Department of Health encourages healthy new year habits

The Department of Health has published a report highlighting the potential knock-on benefits of adopting healthier habits as part of a new year's resolution.

According to studies by the National Centre for Social Research, people who take the decision to live more healthily in one aspect are more likely to make positive changes to other parts of their life, and vice-versa.

For example, it is more probable that people who quit smoking subsequently go on to eat more fruit and vegetables, while those who drink excessively are less likely to improve their diets.

As such, the government is calling for UK residents to take a proactive stance on their health in order to avoid lifestyle-associated conditions such as heart disease, cancer and cirrhosis of the liver.

Chief medical officer Professor Dame Sally Davies said: "The new year is a great time to … give up unhealthy habits, such as smoking, and take up healthier ones, such as regular physical activity, improving our diet and drinking less."

This comes after a University of Bristol report earlier this month showed that eating a healthy diet can sometimes work out cheaper than junk food in parts of the UK.