Arguing linked to premature death

Danish report finds that belligerence will see you buried (or burnt) before your time

If you are the type of person who often argues with family, friends and others, then you might be in danger of dying at an early age, according to new research by the University of Copenhagen.

The Centre for Healthy Ageing and the Institute of Public Health at the University of Copenhagen have looked into how conflicts, worrying and demands affect middle-aged mortality.

“It is well known that social relations have a huge impact on a healthy and good life,” Rikke Lund, from the Centre for Healthy Ageing, said in a press release. “We have shown that if you often argue with your partner, children, friends or neighbours, you double the risk of dying early.”

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Men and unemployed
The study, which was published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, interviewed 9,875 men and women aged 36-52 about their daily social relations while their health was monitored between 2000 and 2011.

The research found that among the group who said they always or often had conflicts with their partners, eight percent died during the research period, compared to just three percent in the group who rarely or never argued.

“The study also shows that men from all social levels are particularly vulnerable to problems and demands created by their partner or children,” Lund said. “Unemployment also enhances the negative trends.”




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