Women more optimistic, happier than men as they age

London, July 17 : Women are more optimistic than men and enjoy life more as they age, suggests a new research that questioned nearly 9,800 people over the age of 50.

The study's co-author Dr Elizabeth Breeze said that women could become happier as they get older as they no longer have to worry about looking after their families.

"There is a difference between the way men and women view their quality of life and they are influenced by slightly different things," Telegraph quoted her, as saying.

"Women are affected negatively by caring for someone else or if they are not in employment but if they see their children and family more they are positively affected," she added.

Researchers interviewed people born before 1952 at two-year intervals.

The study, conducted by researchers at University College London, found that wealth helps a person live longer with the poorest people more than twice as likely to die at any given age than the richest.

In some age groups, the difference was even greater with the poorest women between 60 and 74 six times more likely to have died than the richest women of the same age.

According to the study, a person's chances of living more are increased they're married, educated to degree level and a professional.

Single people are twice as likely to die early as those who are married or living with a partner.

The study found that exercise increases life expectancy with the physically inactive twice as likely to die before those keeping fit.

ANI