Enjoy life to live longer

RESEARCHERS at University College London wanted to assess if sustained subjective well-being, defined as feelings of enjoyment and satisfaction with life, could have a positive impact on longevity.

Although previous research found a positive link between subjective wellbeing and longevity, the studies have focused on wellbeing on a single occasion, rather than sustained over a number of years.

The team recruited 9,365 men and women aged 50 and older (average age 63) who were taking part in the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA).

Participants’ enjoyment of life were assessed three times at two-year intervals between 2002 and 2006, and associations with mortality were analysed up to 2013.

After taking into account a range of factors that could influence the results – such as wealth, education, underlying health issues, and depressed mood – the team found that more women than men reported a high enjoyment of life, as did those who were married or cohabiting, well educated, wealthier, younger, and employed.

In addition, the team also found a higher mortality rate among those with fewer reports of high enjoyment.

The team also corrected for any possible reverse causality, where lack of enjoyment is caused by serious illness that increases the risk of dying, but the results of the study stayed the same. – AFP-Relaxnews