This study challenges the notion that American football players live longer by examining factors like education, health, and socioeconomic status. The research finds that linemen have a shorter life expectancy compared to players in other positions and men with similar backgrounds.
By Dr. Chinta SidharthanOct 31 2023Reviewed by Susha Cheriyedath, M.Sc. In a recent study published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, researchers examined the association between longevity and a profession playing American football while using comparative groups that were similar in health, educational levels, socioeconomic factors, and race and evaluating the differences in the association based on the position of the player.
Furthermore, most of the evidence on this association comes from studies where the mortality outcomes of American football players have been compared with those of American men in general, who are not similar in aspects of fitness, socioeconomic factors, or education. Additionally, the predominance of a specific race in American football could also influence the findings based on racial disparities in mortality rates.
Related StoriesThe Pro-Football Archives provided information on football players, and for the first analysis, the researchers selected first-year football players between the ages of 21 and 25 who played between 1988 and 1995. The NHIS data was used to select the comparative group, including the subgroup that consisted of men with similar educational attainment, income, race and ethnicity, and employment status.