Researchers at Northwestern University say that every time another $50,000 is accumulated by middle age, an individual’s risk of death drops by five percent. In addition, for those who had stashed $139,000 more than a sibling, their chances of outliving them increased by 13 percent.
The study is based on 5,400 Americans tracked for almost a quarter of a century, as part of the Midlife in the United States (MIDUS) project, a longitudinal study on aging. Information on participants, with an average age of 46, was collected from 1994 to 1996. They were followed until 2018 by which time just over 1,000, almost a fifth, had died.
The study results suggest affluence leads to good health, rather than being a reflection of heritable traits or early experiences that cluster in families.
The bottom line? Having more money reduces mortality risk.
Dr. Eric Finegood, one of the co-authors of the study, believes the findings should be interpreted through a broader societal lens.“The U.S. ranks first in economic inequality among high-income nations. Over the past 30 years, the gap has widened through policies and practices that have diverted a substantial and increasing share of wealth from lower and middle-income groups to the affluent. Such redistribution may have implications for longevity patterns in the coming decades. Policies to reduce the wealth gap, if implemented, could be expected to generate substantial returns to public health.”
Who would have thought being wealthy would have led to a longer life span . Well, I for one am not surprised. Being wealthy gives you access to better shelter, better food options, and potentially a richer social life, all of which would likely have a positive impact on life expectancy.
But as was discussed on this blog before, just living a longer life may not be the right goal.
But living a longer life, while healthy and wealthy, seems like a winning strategy.
Source: StudyFinds
This may explain Warren Buffett
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great example!
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Doing the math, it seems that if you save $1,000,000, your risk of death drops 100%, and thus you will live forever. But living longer than a sibling, when you’ve saved more, may simply indicate that you’ve been more healthy than your sibling, and thus able to save more. That better health would logically equate to a longer life. I’m no peer of these learned scientists, but if I was, those are two points I’d bring up in my peer review.
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the results seemed kind of obvious to me as well. and you can’t argue with your math. Maybe $1,000,000 buys you entrance into the afterlife…
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According to the Catholics, if you donate enough money to them, you’ll escape from purgatory.
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that’s what I’ve been banking on…
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That’s a great comparison. Lol Thank you! :-)) xx MIchael
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Money may help you live longer, but do you really want to live longer if you aren’t happy? You read about so many famous rich stars that are miserable.
Though I am sure I could be very happy in a beach house which I could have if I was rich! Not to mention a villa in Italy as well and the Swiss Alps. 🙂
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I agree; there’s not much value in living a long life if you aren’t happy. and Iwould be very happy visiting you in all of those places…
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Well you are more than welcome to visit, glad to make people happy. You may just have to wait …. don’t hold your breath while waiting. 🙂
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anticipation is all part of the excitement… 🙂
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Can’t say I will ever hope to accumulate $50000 in savings!
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it’s easy. just start with $49,000, and go from there… 🙂
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Money provides access to things that improve life expectancy. That does not surprise me in the least. And for some, how long they live is very important. For me, I am less concerned about the length of my life and more concerned about the breadth. I find the best way to cheat death is to find the joy and happiness in whatever days were are given.
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I thought the results were obvious as well. And yes, the key is living our days to the fullest…
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I wonder if there is a point at which too much money tips the scales the other way if you descend into wild living, addiction and suicide! Just enough is better than too much!
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I’m sure that may be the case for many people…
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this does not seem to apply to people who come into a sudden amount of money, such as some lottery winners, it tends to shorten their lives if and when they go off the rails. money does buy a comfort level and never having to worry about basic needs being met, and even beyond with healthy food, safe place to live, vacations, access to places to exercise, etc. though i imagine many of their stress levels are higher, working so hard to save so much. i’m all about quality of life over living to be super old, and a little bit of money sure helps.
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your last sentence sums it up nicely…
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))
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So true. Even if longevity runs in your family, it is the quality of life you have as you age that makes the difference. Money provides a better quality, which in turn can result in a longer lifespan. From the food one can afford to buy to the services money can give access to. It isn’t necessary fair but it is true. Even in Canada where we have healthcare provided, not always top tier healthcare, but at least generic healthcare for everyone, the other factors money can influence make a huge difference.
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well said; money does offer certain benefits…
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As a single child, I’ll take these odds anytime 🙂
Life is incredible, and so many are robbed of its gift for wrong reasons. It’s well worth fighting for it, and we are being gifted this chance every day. Planing ahead makes sense. I liked the positivity behind this research.
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so well stated, Patricia; I can see why you are an author! I also like the idea of planning ahead – it offers many benefits, at little cost…
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When I was younger, I discounted the benefits of living to be super old with observations about quality of life and breadth of experience. But now that I am in my mid 70’s, I am getting a lot more interested in the super old path.
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I’m the same way… ideally, we would have both quality and quantity…
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I can see how having more money improves the chances of living longer.
I wonder if the theory holds true for extreme wealth and if it depends on what age the money is acquired. I always say I’m thankful I wasn’t a great athlete who would have been offered multi millions as a teenager because with that kind of dough at that age, who knows what kind of mischief I’d get into. And if I had hundreds of billions, I might do something silly like build a rocket and fly to space.😄
Regarding income inequality, it blows my mind that the rich, and a certain political party that will remain unnamed, have convinced most people that the best way for them to do a tiny bit better is to give the rich the ability to do a whole lot better. That widely accepted notion is one reason why I say the US is one of the most brainwashed countries ever.
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and has such a high level of inequality…
and yes,I think many times that money, like youth, is wasted on the young…
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Financial security does give peace of mind, however. That alone may be enough to account for the difference in longevity. Stress is the body-killer and the mind-slayer.
— Catxman
http://www.catxman.wordpress.com
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good point about the health issues associated with stress, and how money may help to alleviate some of that stress…
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It seems obvious that having more money will likely improve your chances of getting better health care. Isn’t that the main reason why people with more money are living longer? As others have stated, stress is a great equalizer. I rarely have been sick since I retired.
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I thought the results were obvious as well. and that’s good to know about how healthy you have been since retiring!
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Money also buys healthcare.
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exactly, which can help with longevity…
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Fact.
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Interesting post Jim.. and I think perhaps the stress caused by the thought of being elderly without means to be financially secure does impact your health significantly. Certainly there are real concerns for those on a minimum pension getting enough healthy food, heating in the winter.. having a nest egg will make a huge difference.. will share later today..x
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good point, Sally. I agree that lack of money can lead to stress, which causes all sorts of health issues. thanks for the share!
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Fingers crossed Jim. Monetise your blog and you’re laughing…Cheers!
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and living forever!
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By the way, jim, great reviews of Ted Lasso in The Guardian and other places. I know where i read it first…..cheers!
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it does seem to have been well received; just started watching season 2 last week…
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The lack of money can be quite stressful, which then leads to health problems. Having plenty of money takes away one of life’s stressors. For example, no need to choose between feeding your kids and filling your prescription. Money provides the freedom to leave a job or relationship that is making you miserable. I think the stress/money connection might have already been mentioned in other comments.
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I think you are right on target; lack of money can cause a great deal of stress, which then leads to a whole host of health problems…
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I’m not surprised by the stats, Jim. It just highlights another reason why educational opportunities and livable wages are so important. We all don’t need to own our personal rocket ships, but we all should be able to afford healthcare, nutritious food, and safe shelter. Great article.
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well said D. just giving people such opportunities should increase the level of happiness…
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😀
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Reblogged this on NEW OPENED BLOG > https:/BOOKS.ESLARN-NET.DE.
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This is an interesting article, Jim. People in the UK seem to live to a very old age, perhaps its the NHS and all the walking they do.
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and maybe they are really rich 🙂
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