conscientiousness

Similarly, those characterized by higher conscientiousness, openness, and agreeableness, as well as lower neuroticism and extraversion, were also more likely to adopt healthier behaviors.

In these analyses, researchers illustrate this idea with a simple typology, one in which they assign people to types based on their single-most extreme score across the set of the big five traits: openness to experience, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness and neuroticism.

People with personality traits such as conscientiousness, extraversion and positive affect are less likely to be diagnosed with dementia than those with neuroticism and negative affect, according to a new analysis by researchers at the University of California, Davis and Northwestern University.

For example, people who score high on conscientiousness may be more likely to eat well and take care of their health, which results in better health in the long term.

"We found almost no evidence for effects, except that conscientiousness's protective effect increased with age," Beck said.