News- Optimism is Good For the Heart, Says Study

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CHICAGO (Reuters) - Optimism is good for the heart, a study said on

Monday.

 

http://news./s/nm/20060227/hl_nm/optimism_dc

 

The most optimistic among a group of 545 Dutch men age 64 to 84 had

a roughly 50 percent lower risk of cardiovascular death over 15

years of follow-up, according to the study published in the Archives

of Internal Medicine.

 

Previous research has suggested being optimistic boosts overall

physical health and lowers the risk of death from all causes. A

positive attitude also has been shown to help patients who suffer

from heart disease caused by narrowed arteries.

 

The new study measured participants' level of optimism about their

lives by having them respond to statements such as " I do not look

forward to what lies ahead for me in the years to come " and " My days

seem to be passing by slowly, " or " I am still full of plans. "

 

" Optimism can be estimated easily and is stable over long periods, "

though it does tend to decrease with age, said lead researcher Erik

Giltay of the Institute of Mental Health in Deft, the Netherlands.

 

On a scale of zero to three, with three being most optimistic, the

average scores in the study fell from 1.5 in 1985 to 1.3 in 2000.

 

Higher scores were associated with being younger, being better

educated, living with others, having better health, and doing more

physical activity.

 

" It is yet to be established whether interventions aimed at

improving an older individual's level of optimism may reduce the

risk of cardiovascular mortality, " he added.