Wishesh Magazine March 2016

Healthy living
34
In the survey, the people are
questioned on work status,
age, sex, quality of life,
subjective physical health and
socioeconomic status.
The surveys even asked
about membership in eight
categories of social groups,
including social clubs, church
or other religious groups.
About three-quarters of both
groups were married.
After conducting the survey,
the report stated that, the
death risk over the next 6
years is 2% for those who
retired and were members of
two social groups while still
working and maintained both
group membership.
The threatening fact is the
death risk is found to be
5%, if they lost one group
membership and 12%, if they
lost both group memberships.
As group membership
decreases, even the quality
of life also decreased. “These
effects are not small but
are comparable with those
derived from regular physical
exercise,” Steffens said.
This study provides initial
evidence of some connection
between social groups and
quality of life or mortality, but
the statistics did not actually
test directly the number of
membership changes, said
Mo Wang of the University of
Florida, Warrington College of
Business in Gainesville.
As the comparison group did
not deal with the retirement, it
cannot be compared with the
retirement group, Wang said.
“The issue with this kind of
study is causality is very
difficult to determine. While
my inclination is that social
membership would probably
help directly or indirectly,”
that’s not necessarily the case
based on this study, he said.
He further suggests that
while joining a new group,
one needs to assess that the
group they are going to join, is
free from giving stress.
“If you are in the process
of retiring and don’t belong
to any group, join one,”
Steffens said. “If you exercise
WWW.WISHESH.COM | MARCH 2016