Stay childless to stay healthy, says study

The Scotsman ^ | Wednesday, 10th October 2001 | James Doherty

[sendtoscott]

Stay childless to stay healthy, says study

IF YOU hope to live a long and healthy life, then abandon all plans of marriage, forget about the trauma of childbirth and dedicate yourself to climbing the career ladder to achieve a disease-free old age.

A massive study of 15,000 middle-aged men and women, carried out in Paisley 30 years ago, has given researchers a unique opportunity to determine the factors which contribute to a productive dotage.

And the startling results reveal that women who have never married and never given birth have the best chance of good health in their later years.

For men, career success seems to be the elusive elixir necessary for sustained quality of life long after-retirement age.

The ground-breaking study, carried out by the University of Paisley, revisited some of the surviving 7,500 men and women who took part in the original research.

Professor Mary Gilhooly, director of the Centre of Gerontology and Health at the university, told The Scotsman that the two and a half year PREVAIL project was unique in the world, because most other studies of its kind did not have access to a pool of women subjects.

It was thanks only to the stubbornness of a female factory worker who demanded that women be included in the original survey that scientists today had ready access to such valuable data.

Today’s research found evidence to suggest that eliminating stress was a precursor for a healthy old age.

Professor Gilhooly said: "It seems that having and caring for children is stressful for women and lack of career progression is stressful for men.

"So low levels of chronic stress from giving birth or a poor career are damaging over a lifetime."

The study determined the factors which allowed the 100 healthiest men and women, now in their seventies or older, to live productive lives. "What is surprising is that of the 52 women we looked at 20 of them are childless, which is quite astonishing," added Prof Gilhooly.

"It appears that being unmarried and childless is the better option for women who want to stay healthy in their old age," she said.

"It’s not a happy state to have lived to 95, but to have spent 30 years in poor health.

"Giving birth is physiologically demanding, but it is also time-consuming and stressful bringing up a child, and for some of them it is very boring.

"We’ve got to remember that we’re talking about a generation who had children and then were expected to give up work."

Throughout the past 30 years, studies conducted into the Paisley Buddies, initially undertaken by researchers at Glasgow University, have given valuable insights into the prevention and treatment of heart disease and cancer.

The MIDSPAN study also examined the effects of smoking, drinking and obesity on lifespan. Describing the 52 women looked at in the new study as the "healthy elite", the professor said those who were unmarried were a far cry from the stereotype of the hard-nosed spinster.

She added: "They were not crabby old witches. If anything, they were dynamic and leading interesting lives with very strong social circles."

Asked whether the prognosis for a generation of women who juggle career and family commitments was poor, Prof Gilhooly said: "Well, it could be worse. If the common under-lying factor in our findings is stress, then it’s possible that poor health may increase for those women when they reach old age."

The professor explained that modern women could benefit from increased salaries, better homes and better diets, which could, in turn, balance out any negative impacts on health associated with child-birth and marriage.

Professor Gilhooly added that her study had thrown open some interesting results for her own future.

She admitted: "I’ve been married for 30 years and I have a son.

"I’m not childless and not unmarried, but I have had career progression, so if I was a man, my prognosis would be wonderful."

The research project concludes in March 2002.

James Doherty
Wednesday, 10th October 2001
The Scotsman

[RightOnline]

"IF YOU hope to live a long and healthy life, then abandon all plans of marriage, forget about the trauma of childbirth and dedicate yourself to climbing the career ladder to achieve a disease-free old age."

Ah, but they did, my child-loving friend; they did.

[Storm Orphan]

That was not the assertion of the study, old friend.

[pnz1]

I am in my early 30's. We have no kids (yet). For us, we feel like something is missing in our lives.

[RightOnline]

They can study till their old-maid cows come home, but they're full of nonsense. Kids keep you young. They keep you alive. They enrich the lives of their parents. They allow you to see the world through fresh eyes on a regular basis. They challenge you, they stimulate...........and yes, they can anger and aggravate. The trick is to raise them so that the former far outweigh the latter. All I can say with my crew is.........so far, so good. I cannot imagine life without them.

[Storm Orphan]

No argument, bud.

[paul51]

NOW you tell me. GREAT!

[StoneColdGOP]

Well hey, it doesn't sound so bad.

[rightofrush]

Right now we're quite happy without, but some of our procreating associates display the strangest sense of bitterness that we haven't bred yet.

No bitterness here from this Libertarian.

You shouldn't put off having children if you have any wish to ever do so. Being middle aged with pre (or even post) adolescent children is not something to be contemplated with equanimity. Women after forty bearing children run a higher risk of having children with birth defects.

[Uriel1975]

My preference would be that if they chose to be theists, they would be Calvinists. 62 Posted on 10/10/2001 19:54:59 PDT by Storm Orphan

Well, since the subject of hypotheticals has been breached, I can honestly say that if I could not inculcate in my kids a deep and abiding love for Christ (since a Calvinist believes that's ultimately in God's hands anyway), then I'd rather that they be atheist Objectivists, than to choose any other religion besides Christianity (preferably of the Calvinist sort).

With Christians I can share the Lord's Supper; but if they be not Christians, at least I can trust Objectivists with my Rights.
That's good enough for this world....

[Darth Sidious]

My grandmother lived to the good age of 92 (well past the "record live expectancy" announced yesterday of 77) before her passing last year.

Oh yeah, and she had nine children.

[jjbrouwer]

re. Check out this trash...

I have not written for that publication for about eight months.

However, my mother is originaly from Paisley. Horrible place!

[Aedammair]

Prayer probably does make a difference. But I'm sure there are plenty of people, parents or not, whose prayers were not answered when they asked to be kept strong and healthy. And even with prayer; a common refrain of many, many parents is "I love my children, but...", and to me that says they've struggled and suffered. I don't think the struggles that most childless people suffer through, save serious illnesses, can compare to the struggles and sufferings of parents. Along with that though probably comes a reward that childless people will never know. But that's fine isn't it? Not all of us choose or are meant to be parents. I have a kind of freedom my friends with children will never know; they have the love of their children, something I will never know. Each type of life has its advantages and disadvantages. But health advantages are probably relatively more likely in single and childless people, especially females because they seems to bear the greater part of the responsibility of holding the family together and rearing the children.

[RnMomof7]

They are the greatest gift that the good Lord has given us.

And therein lay the difference..we believe that "Children are an inherientce of the Lord","Blessed is the man who's quiver is full"

If you see your children as a gift you treat them as precious..if you see them as a burden then that is what they are.

We have raised 7 children,my husband and I have always had good jobs..I tell my children jokingly that if we had stopped with the mandatory two we would have alot of money now.Instead those dollars paid for dance lessons,little league,music,trips etc.

And even if these folks are right,I would not change one thing in exchange for an extra day or two.

[TightSqueeze]

don't get surprized if no one is there when they try to prematurely pull the plug on you.

Or have children and...

don't get surprized if there is someone trying to prematurely pull the plug on you.

[LePoopillon]

Why is it so wrong to be selfish? As least I know I'm the kind of person that shouldn't have children. I don't understand why everyone "has" to have children, and why they are the "end all". Other's have different values, friends,family (not necessarily children of my own). Children aren't for everyone.

[golder]

Just a mild observation. You often bring a 1 year old to restaurants? Perhaps it's the incessant screams that make people cry. I was a restaurant owner for 25 years. Your behavior was the scourge of my life. The popularity of my restaurant allowed me to unceremoniously boot you mindless fools out. I believe you should have all the babies you want, but please stop making your little bundle of joy my problem.

[Harrison Bergeron]

"Your behavior was the scourge of my life."

Good.

Now go back and read my post. I specifically said "well behaved." The only satisfaction that I ever get from petty so-called merchants such as yourself is that my son and I have done our part to make your selfish miserable existence a little more so by our very presence.

Nobody likes a screaming kid. But when we take our son into a restaurant and the only inconvenience we present is a simple request for a booster seat of high chair, it's getting the short shift from inconsiderate snobs like you that destroys the atmosphere - not us.

[golder]

Keep breeding, you are the future. You must be proud.

[Harrison Bergeron]

"You must be proud."

Quite.