Philadelphia, PA – Why Do Jews Tend to Live Longer Than Other Religious Groups?

    24

    Philadelphia, PA – In the United States, life expectancy at age 55 (average number of additional years lived beyond 55) for Jews is 27.7. This is two to seven years longer than any other large religious group in the United States. Three possible explanations for this advantage are: favorable socio-demographic composition, better health behaviors, and relatively frequent attendance at religious services.

    Join our WhatsApp group

    Subscribe to our Daily Roundup Email


    Most of the life expectancy advantage for Jews can be explained by favorable socio-demographic composition relative to other religious groups. Jews, on average, have higher levels of education and higher levels of wealth than members of other religious groups do. They also are less likely to be current smokers than those in other religions, so health behaviors explain some of the advantage. Conversely, attendance at religious services, a well-known protector against mortality, is unusually low for Jews. Thus, the life expectancy advantage is mostly attributable to education and wealth, somewhat to health behaviors, and not at all due to attendance at religious services.


    Listen to the VINnews podcast on:

    iTunes | Spotify | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | Podbean | Amazon

    Follow VINnews for Breaking News Updates


    Connect with VINnews

    Join our WhatsApp group


    24 Comments
    Most Voted
    Newest Oldest
    Inline Feedbacks
    View all comments
    13 years ago

    Kibud av vaem

    MAMAROCHEL
    MAMAROCHEL
    13 years ago

    First and foremost, Hodu LaShem Ki Tov Ki LeOlam Chasdo!!! It is the will of the creator of the world who decides who will live & how long, who has blessed us with longevity! The support group that mobilizes around the frum patient , whether to say Tehillim, or to be in the hospital with the Choleh around the clock definitely helps our parents reach an age that was previously unheard of. Also, the wide knowledge of natural immune boosters, & alternative healing, helps people avoid the spiral effect of one medication creating the need for another one and so forth…. May we all be Zoche to live and greet Moshiach Tzidkainu BiMehaira BeYamainu Amen!

    Dead_Rebbe
    Dead_Rebbe
    13 years ago

    Why do always have to blame the smokers? My great grandmother, with a thick Jewish accent from her native town of Iassy in Romania, immigrated to the US in the closing years of the 19th century. She smoked Cool cigarettes well into her 80s and died in her late 90s. And a grandfather of mine smoked cigars into his late 70s, succumbing to old age at 93. Maybe moderation, rather than any particular practice or the absence thereof, is key?!

    charliehall
    charliehall
    13 years ago

    Frequency of attendance at religious services is used as a marker for religious commitment in many studies. While it may be accurate for Christians, it is not a valid marker for Jews, particularly for Jewish women. I’ve mentioned to social psychology researchers that a better measure is needed but I’m not sure one has been developed and validated.

    13 years ago

    Love this!

    Thanks VIN for posting this article!

    Longwave
    Longwave
    13 years ago

    Because our wives tell us to.

    SF2K1
    SF2K1
    13 years ago

    Attendance is low because it’s polling non-religious Jews as well. Presumably the freier you are, the healthier your eating habits will be (since we seem to still think oiler and greasier is better).

    Glassman
    Glassman
    13 years ago

    …and then there is chulent and gefilte, definitely lifesavers. Although after waking up from the former, some say that techiyas hameisim takes place..

    Butterfly
    Butterfly
    13 years ago

    No. Because we have a daily schedule of getting up for shachris, mincha , and ma’ariv , and possibly an early shiur or late one. This type of schedule keeps the mind active and healthy. My late father lived to 97 z”l and did this every day.

    13 years ago

    Jews as a group have lower levels (on a percentage basis) of alcohol use, drug addiction, and tobacco use; also, Jews tend to engage less in certain risky recreational activities such as hunting, parachuting, scuba diving, and piloting of general aviation aircraft.

    13 years ago

    People say it has alot to do with a Jewish religious schedule. From yom tov to shabbos to the next yt to Shul every shabbos. Shul everyday. Seeing people. Having a very full schedule ur whole life. Leads to a healthier brain and a healthy life

    13 years ago

    As #16 points out, the Jews in this study are not necessarily frum. Since most Jews in the U.S. are not frum, that explains the lack of synagogue attendance. It seems to me that there is more obesity and more smoking among the frum than among non-frum yidden, so I suspect if you compared the two, you’d find a longer life expectancy among non-frum.

    evedHashem
    evedHashem
    13 years ago

    Did anyone ever hear the story of someone coming to a Rav, I forget which one, and says “They did a study and found that frum Jews have the longest life expectancy. Any comments from the Rav?”
    “What can I say, all we do is follow the manual.”
    Whether or not the story is true, it’s a telling mashal/nimshal.

    The_Truth
    Noble Member
    The_Truth
    13 years ago

    What a load of baloney these statistics are.
    They take a random sample of people throughout the US who have some kind of religious affiliation and then try and prove that some statistical correlation exists based on a few specific questions asked.
    There are 1000’s of physical factors that go into life expectancy, apart from the spiritual side of things.
    While I’d like to know how long I’m going to live and like statistics, this is basically irrelevant. This is a nice statistic – but only relevant to those that were subjects of the study. Even if you try to compare yourself to the set of people investigated; when you or I turn/ed 55, there will be other factors at play, never-mind the 1000’s of other individual factors that affect life.