American researchers found that having four or more grandchildren reduces the life expectancy of a woman to 65 years.
According to the British newspaper “The Sun”, the researchers’ findings are based on the results of analyzing data from 2227,463 people over the age of 51 for 22 years in the United States.
According to the scientists, this decline in the life expectancy of women may be due to the additional requirements of grandchildren for their money and time.
“On the one hand, the influence of grandchildren on grandparents may be positive in survival, as it could be a sign of intrinsic biological force, and on the other hand, it may be harmful to mothers’ survival,” the researchers wrote.
Meanwhile, it turns out that older widowed women live longer if they have grandchildren. This is believed to be due to the fact that caring for children mitigates the negative effects of losing a spouse.
“Caring for grandchildren is a profession that reduces the risk of developing dementia,” said Olga Kotova, a psychiatrist and professor at the Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy at Friendship State University.