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PARIS, June 16 (AFP) - Elderly people who have a network of good friends rather than close family ties have a better chance of living longer, according to a study published on Thursday.
In 1992, nearly 1,500 Australians aged 70 years and above were questioned abou their health, economic and social background.
Ten years later, those with the strongest group of friends and confidants were found to have lived longer than those with the fewest friends.
A network of good friends was, in statistical terms, equivalent to a 22-percent reduction in the risk of dying during this period when compared to those who had close ties with their children or relatives.
Friends may provide a beneficial influence on the elderly by encouraging them to eat better, quit smoking or drinking heavily and exercise more, the study says.
But they also have a big psychological impact, although less easily defined, by lifting mood and self-esteem and promoting the desire to cope at times of difficulty, it suggests.
The study appears in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health (JECH), published by the British Medical Association (BMA).
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