In a startling new discovery, unconventional research has found that unattractive people may die earlier than their good-looking folks. In fact, the study published in Social Science and Medicine indicates that, on average, ugly men live almost one year less while their female counterparts risk dying two years before the more attractive ones.
Methodology and Findings
This investigation, carried out by Arizona State University and The University of Texas at Austin scholars, examined data from a multi-generational survey on well-being involving over 8,300 senior class high school students in Wisconsin between 1957 and either death or old age in 2022.
They took photographs of the subjects during their high school days for use as reference points. The results showed that those in the bottom attractiveness category were 16.8% more likely to die than those in the middle four categories. Interestingly, the better longevity ratings among the highly attractive individuals did not differ much from those given to people within the average range for attractiveness.
Bias in Society
Dr Connor Sheehan, who is a sociologist at Arizona State University, added that beauty does not necessarily affect how old someone will be, but it could be reflective of some underlying health issues. Dr. Sheehan notes that some factors like genetics, as well as societal standards, contribute to making certain people look better than others.
"Little is known about the association between facial attractiveness and longevity. But attractiveness may convey underlying health, and it systematically structures critical social stratification processes. Broadly, we found that those whose facial attractiveness was rated in the least attractive sextile had a higher mortality risk throughout life compared to those rated average or high," the study authors write, according to DailyMail. "Importantly, we found little advantage in longevity for those rated with high levels of attractiveness relative to the average."
He added: "Attractiveness could directly influence longevity as considerable research has found that there is a genetic component to attractiveness."
Future Research Perspectives
The investigators said that social prejudices as possibly significant determinants of these disparities in lifespan. Even though uglier faces may be typical for ill persons, Hamermesh believes social advantages such as better treatment, higher income, and fairer sentencing account for these divergences in mortality.
Dr. Hamermesh’s remarks seemed to imply that a new perception of beauty would ultimately help prolong people's lives. "Over time, if people didn't pay as much attention to looks in daily life, I'm quite sure that 100 years from now we wouldn't see these differences in longevity," he told the Times.
The research findings contribute to the ongoing discourse around ‘pretty privilege’ and its consequences for health and longevity, among others. The study highlights the intricate relationship between physical appearance, social acceptability, and general well-being as debates continue on this topic.
