Attending religious services regularly means enjoying a longer life than those who don’t go to church.

Attending religious services regularly means enjoying a longer life than those who don’t go to church, according to a new Harvard University study.

Women who attend a religious service at least once a week were found to be up to 33 per cent less likely to die than those who didn’t attend any religious service over a period of 16 years. The researchers found that frequent church-goers live at least five months longer than those who don’t go to church. Those who attended religious services were also found to have a lower risk of cardiovascular and cancer-related deaths.

The researchers noted that those who go to church at any one time could be those with the best health and thus chose to conduct the study over a 16-year period. It involved follow-ups of women who attended religious services and those who did not. The data included responses from 74, 534 women.

The respondents answered questions about their diet, lifestyle, about their health every two years and about their religious service attendance every four years.

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The reasons for religious service attendance were found to vary across individuals. There were those who attended because of their faith, others because of social pressures, lifelong habits, while others went because they were searching for a support group to help them deal with loneliness.

After analysing the findings, the researchers concluded that these results are influenced by much more than a woman’s spirituality and faith.

They observed that regular church attendance goes hand in hand with increased social support, an increase in the sense of community and sense of belonging and a subsequent decrease in cases of depression and smoking. Social support and optimism about life in general were found to be the ingredients tied to religious services which affect one’s overall health and boost longevity.

Seeing as there is a clear link between religion and health and wellness, the researchers recommend that physicians explore the field of religion and spirituality with their patients.

They advise medical health practitioners not to shy off from broaching the topic of religion with their patients when it is appropriate.

“Our results do not imply that healthcare professionals should prescribe attendance of religious services but for those who already hold religious beliefs, attendance of such services could be encouraged as a form of meaningful social participation,” the study’s author Dr Tyler Vander Weele said.