Key points from article :
Researchers discovered those with greater wealth at midlife tended to live longer.
Used data from the Midlife in the United States (MIDUS) project, a longitudinal study on aging, to analyze the association between net worth and longevity.
In the full sample of 5,400 adults, higher net worth was associated with lower mortality risk.
Discovered a similar association for the sibling or twin with more wealth to live longer than their co-sibling/twin.
Suggests the wealth-longevity connection may be causal, and isn’t simply a reflection of heritable traits or early experiences.
Even within the sub-group of healthy individuals, the within-family association between wealth and longevity remained.
“Building wealth is important for health at the individual level," - Greg Miller, senior author.
“Policies that support and protect individuals’ ability to achieve financial security are needed,” - Miller.
Study by Northwestern University published in JAMA Health Forum.
