One surprising food that's often branded unhealthy could actually make you live longer, according to a scientific study. 

Scientists at the University of Oxford discovered nine factors were linked to an increased life expectancy, and only one food made the list, after looking at 164 environmental factors.

Even meat, salt or vegetables weren't linked to life expectancy, and instead one food that's consistently been deemed unhealthy was: cheese. 

It also found that lifestyle factors impacted health and ageing around ten times more than genetics, with physical activity, level of education and employment also positively impacting expectancy. 

Cornelia van Duijn, a senior author of the study and St Cross professor of epidemiology at Oxford Population Heath, said “cheese-eating is related to socio-economic status”, and reiterated that the study doesn't suggest diet is unimportant. 

Living with a partner was also a positive influence, at a time when three in ten households are made up of people living on their own, according to data by the Office for National Statistics in May 2024.

Interestingly, using an open fire for heating was also linked to living longer, although Professor van Duijn was dubious about the real link, saying: “We don’t think open fires are healthy. For lung disease it’s the opposite. It’s probably, more likely your status.”

The study looked at the influence of 164 environmental factors and genetic risk scores on 22 major diseases on ageing, age-related diseases and premature death, by reviewing data from nearly half a million UK Biobank participants. 

Things that negatively impacted life expectancy were factors such as being relatively shorter or plumper at 10 years old, being unemployed, sleeping more than nine hours a day and renting a council house.