The relationship between appearance and life expectancy was established by researchers from the University of Arizona and the University of Texas at Austin. According to a study published in the scientific journal Social Science and Medicine (16+), individuals who are perceived as being more attractive tend to live longer than those who are perceived as less attractive.
The study collected and analyzed data covering a period of 65 years and including information on more than 8,300 high school graduates from the state of Wisconsin. The experts compared the attractiveness ratings of the participants, assigned by independent experts based on the analysis of photographic materials, with information on mortality.
Research results
The findings suggest that men classified as unattractive live, on average, about a year less than men classified as attractive. The difference for women is more pronounced: women with lower attractiveness scores live two years less than women with high attractiveness scores.
Reasons for the results obtained
Scientists state that the exact mechanisms that determine the connection between attractiveness and longevity have not yet been determined. It has been suggested that physical attractiveness may be an indicator of overall health: a person who is in good health is likely to look more attractive.
In addition, external attractiveness has a beneficial effect on a person’s social activity. Attractive people often enjoy certain advantages in society, including higher pay, positive treatment from others, and even lighter sentences.
Sociologist Connor Sheehan from the University of Arizona has put forward a theory about the genetic determination of attractiveness, which can directly affect life expectancy.
