Using evidence from industrialised countries such as the UK and US as well as developing countries such as China and Brazil, the review found an adult’s risk of mortality went down by 2% for every year in full-time education. Completing primary, secondary and tertiary education is the equivalent of a lifetime of eating a healthy diet, lowering the risk of death by 34% compared with someone with no formal education, according to the peer-reviewed analysis in The Lancet Public Health journal.
At the opposite extreme, not attending school at any point is as bad for adult health as consuming five or more alcoholic drinks or smoking 10 cigarettes a day for a decade.
The study adds impetus to efforts in England to ensure children stay at school, with experts saying the results underline connections between school attendance and health. It also implies that increases in the school leaving age and rising numbers of youngsters going into further and higher education could add years to life expectancy.
This story is from the January 24, 2024 edition of The Guardian.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the January 24, 2024 edition of The Guardian.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Government considers cuts to GB Energy's £8.3bn funding commitment
The government is reportedly weighing up the possibility of cutting planned funding for GB Energy, the state-owned company set up by Labour to drive renewable energy and cut household bills, in June's spending review.
Trump Distances Musk From Blame For Federal Job Slashing
Donald Trump has reportedly told his cabinet secretaries they are ultimately in charge of hiring and firing at their agencies - not Elon Musk - in an apparent effort to distance his billionaire aide from sweeping federal job cuts over the past two months.
London councils buy up 850 properties to relocate homeless people out of city
London councils and housing companies they own have spent more than £140m buying up homes to relocate homeless people out of the city.
Northern Ireland police appeal to students over serial rapist
Northern Ireland's police chief has appealed to students who may have had concerns about the serial rapist Zhenhao Zou, who studied at Queen's University Belfast for two years.
Eurostar chaos after world war two bomb found at Paris station
A second world war bomb found below railway tracks north of Paris was defused yesterday after a day of transport chaos in which the Gare du Nord station was closed, halting the Eurostar and other services.
Reform UK in crisis after MP who criticised Farage accused of being a bully
Reform UK has erupted into open civil war after the party said there had been complaints of bullying by its MP Rupert Lowe, who had also made threats against the party chair.
Syrian security forces launch operation to quell Assad loyalist rebellion
Syrian security forces battled Assad regime loyalists on Syria's coast for a second day yesterday, as the country's new government struggled to contain the biggest rebellion to its rule since it took power in December.
Nigerian woman hopes to break global travel record
In 2019, Alma Asinobi, a Nigerian postgraduate architecture student, gave herself an ambitious goal after obtaining her first passport: to visit up to 16 countries every year.
Just Stop Oil protest sentences cut after judge says leader's jail term 'excessive'
A lengthy jail sentence handed to the Just Stop Oil cofounder Roger Hallam was \"manifestly excessive\", the country's most senior judge has said, as she reduced his and five other climate protesters' sentences on appeal.
TV producers take shelf-stacking jobs as rise of online viewing fuels industry crisis
Senior TV producers with decades of experience are working as high street shelf-stackers, car park attendants and in pubs as a prolonged crisis continues to sweep through the TV world.
