How to Live Longer
I just received a mass email on how to live longer and it made these points:
Tip 1. Delay your retirement. Studies show that people who retire at 65 live longer than people who retire at 60.
Tip 2. Sex makes you younger. Studies show that older people who have sex twice a week look ten years younger than their peers who do not have sex at all.
People who draw conclusions from such studies usually do not understand statistics. Correlation doesn’t mean causality. Let me use the above-mentioned studies to reach different conclusions by reversing the causality assumption of the unknown writer of the mass email. You can compare results and make your own decisions.
Case 1. Studies show that people who retire at 65 live longer than people who retire at 60. Reversed causality: People who live longer are healthier, so they are able to keep working and to retire later in life.
Case 2. Studies show that older people who have sex twice a week look ten years younger than their peers who do not have sex at all. Reversed causality: Older people who look ten years younger than their peers can get laid easier, so they have sex more often.
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Penelope Young:
Hi Tanya
I love the logic of your conclusion. However I would argue that often people don’t choose to work longer. Because of my financial situation, I have to work. I don’t believe I’m healthier because I didn’t retire but there is something about having to work which means one is more connected to a vibrant working world. So many older people ‘give up’ when they retire. Research I am doing for my book ‘Grow Old, Be Happy’ shows that the most important cause for living longer and looking younger is attitude of mind. If you work after 60 but resent it, you are just as likely to look older than people who work and love it.
Not sure about the sex point. My understanding is that there are physiological reasons why all of us should have sex regularly to keep skin clear and its good exercise.
Loved the thoughts though. Have a look at my website. I’m 66 and unfortunately don’t have regular sex. Does it show?
13 July 2010, 12:37 pmmisha:
Oh, well, understanding statistics is one thing, figuring out where this or that statistic is coming from is something else…
14 July 2010, 11:11 pm