#426: Years of education affects life expectancy; Smoking – giving patients their "lung age? as incentive to quit smoking

Dr. Tedd Mitchell, president of Cooper Clinic, discusses a study (also, see this) reported in the March/April 2008 issue of Health Affairs reporting better education translates into longer life expectancy. Researchers reported that individuals with more than 12 years of education have a predicted life expectancy of 82 years, while those with 12 years of education or less have a life expectancy of 75 years. Researchers are also seeing life expectancy lengthen for the group with more than 12 years of education. Dr. Mitchell comments on how the biggest difference between the two groups seems to be tobacco use.  Dr. Mitchell also discusses a report in the March 15, 2008, edition of British Medical Journal reviewing the effect telling patients their "lung age? has on smoking quit rates. This study contained 561 current smokers older than 35, and is part of the Step2quit randomized controlled trial. Researchers found that telling smokers their "lung age? significantly improves their likelihood of quitting the habit.