Study: Having Kids May Keep You Living Longer

Parents might swear sometimes that their kids are killing 'em -- but new research finds that having children is actually associated with an increase in your life expectancy.

Swedish scientists tracked 1.4 people across three generations to see if kids are keeping us going … or killing us. They found that women who are parents live about 1.5 years longer, on average -- and men live nearly two years longer.

NewsRadio 740 KTRH medical expert Dr. Joe Galati says he not surprised by the finding, seeing health benefits to the connectivity that comes from the family unit.

Galati also says grandchildren add a powerful incentive for aging parents to stay healthy.

The results of the study are published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health.

According to the study, 60-year-old women with children had a remaining life expectancy of 24.6 years, compared with 23.1 years for those who do not have children.

Meanwhile 60-year-old men with children were expected to live for another 20.2 years, while those without kids were expected to live for an additional 18.4 years.

The researchers say the findings “are purely observational” and can’t conclusively determine the effects seen in their study.


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