Findings published in ‘The Journal of Gerontology : Series A’ can put an end to the popular belief that health is wealth.

Noting that it’s good to be rich in old age because wealthy men and women are found to live longer than their poorer counterparts. The study, undertaken in US and UK, highlights the fact that wealth can indeed add seven to nine more healthy years after 50 to rich people’s lives.

The results emerged from two questions. One what role do socioeconomic factors play in how long people live healthy lives . And two, do older adults in UK stay disability-free longer than those in US?

To find the answer, the researchers analysed how well factors such as education, social class and wealth, predicted how long a person would live free of conditions that might impair them from activities such as getting out of bed or cooking for themselves.

In the study wealth was defined as physical possessions such as home, jewels, and artworks. It also includes other financial assets like savings and investment.