While many employers are struggling with the effects of an aging workforce, Event Network Inc. has discovered the fountain of youth.

By supporting a healthier lifestyle, Event Network's corporate wellness programs are helping to make its workforce physiologically younger by effectively reducing the “health age” of employees compared with their chronological ages.

Though the average age of an Event Network employee is 38, employees' “health age” averages 36.6.

The Health Age calculator that Event Network uses was developed by WellSource Inc., a health risk assessment and wellness program vendor in Clackamas, Ore. The calculator is based on the 1974 “Health and Ways of Living Study” that examined the health practices of 6,928 people in Alameda County, Calif., for 15 years and determined which were tied to longevity. The study found that people who followed all or nearly all of 10 good health habits identified by researchers lived an average of 12.5 years longer than those not following such a healthy lifestyle.

The 10 key good health habits are:

• Physical activity: Thirty minutes most days of the week reduces risk for many diseases.

• Not smoking: Smoking can reduce life expectancy by up to eight years.

• Body weight: People with a body mass index below 25 live longer.

• Reduced red meat in the diet.

• Eating three or more whole grain foods a day, which is shown to reduce the risk of heart attacks.

• Eating five to nine servings of fruits and vegetables daily.

• Eating about an ounce of nuts daily, which is shown to reduce the risk of heart attacks.

• Maintaining a happy, hopeful outlook. Unhappiness erodes mental and physical health.

• Having the social support of friends, family and groups.

• Getting seven to eight hours of sleep a night.

The health age is calculated based on proprietary scoring algorithms developed by WellSource that compare the results of the original study against the number of good health practices employees follow, using their collective responses to strategic questions in an annual online health risk assessment.