Activity and Longevity

Community involvement can lead to a longer life.

According to the Mayo Clinic, volunteering, supporting, or befriending an organization in your community clearly has health benefits. The theory is simple: the better you feel about yourself, the better you will feel in general. Dr. Paul Takahashi, a specialist in Generics at the Mayo Clinic, says people gain much from giving back to society.

And according to a 1999 Harvard University study, people 65 years or older who socialized lived an average of two-and-a-half years longer than more reclusive people. In fact, being active in the community and interacting with others may offer even a greater boost to longevity than those who regularly exercise.

That study, published in the British Medical Journal was conducted by Thomas Glass, an assistant professor of health and social behavior at Harvard's School of Public Health.

Glass and his colleagues followed nearly 3,000 residents of New Haven, Connecticut, for 13 years to understand how exercise, social and productive activity were related to their chances of dying during the study's duration.

Those who were social were found to have lived two-and-a-half years longer than their isolated counterparts, on average.

So invest in your future and be a part of the community. Make a pledge to public radio, or volunteer your time along with other healthy, long-living individuals.

Resources:

Learn more about the study.

Another study found that elderly people who gave support to others, including emotional support, or help with housework, childcare, or errands, reduced their risk of dying by nearly 60%, compared to peers who provide neither practical help nor emotional support.

A third study suggests that people with high IQs live longer than their less brainy counterparts.

October 18, 2003