Want to live a long life? Get married

In yet another study cited by Science Daily, we see a correlation between being in a relationship and living a long time.

From the study [Marital status and longevity in the United States population J Epidemiol Community Health 2006; 60: 760-5]:

Unsurprisingly, older age and poor health were the strongest predictors of death by 1997, but a surviving marriage was also strongly associated with a longer life.

After taking into account age, state of health, and several other factors likely to influence the findings, those who had been widowed were almost 40% more likely to die between 1989 and 1997. Those who had been divorced or separated were 27% more likely to have done so.

But those who had never been married were 58% more likely to have died during this period than their peers who were married and living with their spouse in 1989.

The authors noted that "Risky" behaviors could not explain the differences between the groups "because the unmarried group were only slightly more likely to smoke than their married counterparts, and they were less likely to drink alcohol regularly. They also exercised slightly more and were less overweight."

However they did say that marriage could be "a rough proxy for social connectedness, and suggest that never having married may be associated with more severe isolation."

This is not the first study to note the correlation.