Well-educated, well-aged

Woman who would like to live a long life should pursue advanced degrees, be active in the workplace and preferably also have a permanent partner. That’s according to researchers at NTNU’s Department of Community Medicine, who found that homemakers and women with little education die earlier than their economically active and well-educated peers. The same is true for unmarried women. The trend emerged from an examination of the health and mortality in 5607 women aged 70 and older.

The women were participants in the Nord-Trøndelag Health Study during 1995-1997. The difference in mortality that the researchers found remained the same even when they adjusted the data for age, marital status, biological factors and health choices. The finding could not be explained by blood pressure, body mass index, total cholesterol, smoking, or the degree of physical activity. It appears that the choices a young woman makes have an effect on her whole life, the researchers concluded.