According to a recent study, getting a college degree or even a GED from high school may be connected to longer life. In fact, scientists now compare the benefits of higher education to those achieved by quitting smoking – lower mortality rates.
In the study involving information from more than one million people, researchers from the University of North Carolina, New York University, and the University of Colorado report a link between higher education and increased life expectancy.
The researchers suggest that – through the lens of healthy behavior - education should be viewed similarly to diet, smoking, and alcohol consumption – that is, when it comes to living longer, pursuing higher education is as relevant as pursuing healthy choices regarding eating, drinking, or smoking.
The study suggests that government policies focused on improving educational attainment would result in an improved survival rate in the United States.
