Educated women behind longevity in men: Study

An intriguing study from the Swedish Institute for Social Research in Stockholm suggests that men married to well-educated women live longer.

However, the same does not hold true for the fairer sex because her longevity is influenced not by the qualifications of her spouse but by his high income and social status.

Dr Robert Erikson, who led the research, said: "Women traditionally take more responsibility for the home than men do and, as a consequence, women's education might be more important for the family lifestyle - for example, in terms of food habits - than men’s education.

“It's still the case that women tend to put the food on the table and in that way have a very direct influence. Women with higher education may also receive better medical treatment and their partners may benefit too."

Details of the study
The researchers investigated the effect of education, income, social class and status with the mortality of the marital partner. Their study was based on the statistics relating to 1.5 million working Swedish people aged 30-59.

The major strength of the study was that mortality was high in both the sexes, in case of less educated people.

The researchers found that a man's level of education does not influence his longevity. However, men living with women holding a university degree were 25 percent less likely to die early as opposed to those living with a partner who had quit studying after school.

The study also found that woman’s education has an impact on her health too. Women with a university education were 53 percent less likely to die at an early age than those less educated.

Wider benefits of education
The findings suggest that education has a tremendous impact on how long and how well we live.

It reflects on social factors also, since qualified people having better paid jobs, which allow for a healthier diet and lifestyle, more access to health information, and a greater receptivity to health education.

The authors said, "Education is of great importance through a direct influence on mortality as well as indirectly via occupation and income.

"Education may also have an indirect effect through its possible importance for choice of partner."

Professor Alan Maryon-Davis, of the UK's Faculty of Public Health, stated, "This study shows how closely education, lifestyle and long-term health are linked together. If we're serious about radically improving the health of the nation, we must fully invest in high-quality education at all levels."

The study appears in the journal Epidemiology and Community Health.