For decades, public health messaging has leaned heavily on a familiar narrative: the richer you are, the longer you live. Income, education, and social status correlate with longevity in population-level data, and that correlation has been treated — sometimes carelessly — as near-causal. A newly published analysis complicates that story significantly, finding that socioeconomic and demographic factors have surprisingly little influence on individual lifespan.
Your ZIP Code Isn't Your Destiny: Wealth and Demographics Matter Less for Longevity Than We Thought
A new analysis challenges the assumption that socioeconomic status meaningfully drives individual lifespan variation — and points the finger squarely at lifestyle and physical fitness instead.
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