Researchers have found a surprising correlation between longevity and religious faith.
Church-goers appear to live up to four years longer than atheists, according to an analysis of 1,000 obituaries published across the United States.
The Ohio State psychology researchers behind the study insist there is merit to the connection: people with religious affiliations often volunteer and engage in social activities throughout their lives – something routinely tied to a longer lifespan.
But they found that this socializing only appeared to boost longevity by a year at most – suggesting other elements of religious life, such as low alcohol intake, could contribute.
Study lead author, Laura Wallace, said ‘There’s still a lot of the benefit of religious affiliation that this can’t explain.”
Co-author, Dr. Baldwin Way said that, while the findings may sound like tosh to atheists, there was a correlation they couldn’t ignore. The study provides persuasive evidence that there is a relationship between religious participation and how long a person lives. Many studies have shown that people who volunteer and participate in social groups tend to live longer than others. They also concluded that many religions also ‘promote stress-reducing practices that may improve health, such as gratitude, prayer or meditation.’
The findings showed that a key personality element related to longevity was the importance placed on conformity to community values and norms.