Research: The 'impact of university education on human lifespan' revealed

According to a new study, each year spent in school or university increases the expected lifespan, while not attending school can be as deadly as smoking or alcoholism.

The study, which used data from developed countries like the USA and the UK, as well as developing countries like China and Brazil, found that the risk of death for an adult decreases by 2% for each year spent receiving full-time education.

According to the research published in The Lancet, obtaining higher education in addition to primary and secondary education is as beneficial as maintaining a lifelong healthy diet. The study indicates that the risk of death for an individual with such a level of education is 34% lower compared to someone who has not received any formal education.

On the other hand, the researchers found that not receiving any education at any point in life is as detrimental to health as smoking 10 cigarettes a day or consuming 5 alcoholic drinks a day for 10 years.

Norwegian University of Science and Technology and the University of Washington conducted the first peer-reviewed study published in a journal, calculating the impact of education level on lifespan.