Childhood Friendships May Be Key to Health Later On

Your childhood best friend may have a surprising protective effect on your health in adulthood. In this study, researchers monitored the social lives of 267 individuals between age six and age sixteen and found that boys who spent more time with friends had a lower risk for high blood pressure and obesity in their early thirties. Researcher Dr. Jenny M. Cundiff notes, “These findings suggest that our early social lives may have a small protective influence on our physical health in adulthood, and it’s not just our caregivers or financial circumstances, but also our friends who may be health protective.” Psychological Science, March 2018