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Optimistic Women Face Lower Heart Disease Risk
Subjects less likely to die of any cause over set period
By Matt Cantor
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Posted Aug 11, 09 10:23 AM CDT
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(Newser)
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Women 50 and up who see the glass as half full have a lower risk of getting heart disease—or dying of any cause—than their half-empty peers, a study suggests. Researchers found that over 8 years, the most optimistic subjects in their 97,000-woman-strong study faced a 9% lower risk of heart disease and a 14% lower risk of death than the most pessimistic, Health.com reports.
Outlook was determined based on a survey that asked whether subjects agreed or disagreed with statements like “In unclear times, I usually expect the best.” Only those with the highest optimism scores showed a “survival advantage,” Health.com notes. “Nobody has a clear cut answer, but there’s a strong sense that attitude impacts physiology,” said an expert.