Low credit score and poor health linked
People with low credit scores are also more likely to have poor cardiovascualr health, according to a study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
That conclusion is based on a long-term analysis of 1,000 residents of New Zealand who have been monitored from birth through the age of 38. For each of those analyzed, the researchers calculated a “heart age” or Framingham cardiovascular risk score by using blood pressure, cholesterol levels, blood sugar and whether the person smoked. When all the subjects reached 38, researchers found that those who had higher credit scores had lower heart ages.
Salomon Israel, a researcher from Duke University, said that this isn't a case where low credit scores cause heart problems. Instead, it likely means that people with poor credit scores and poor health have been found to have to same personal attributes. The suggestion is that people who have difficulty taking care of their money also have problems taking care of their health.
The study found that attributes related to both healthier lifestyles and finances included self-control, perseverance, and planning ahead. Researchers noticed that these influential attributes “take root early in life” showing up before the age of 10.
Researchers believe that studies about credit scores may be beneficial to life insurance agencies. Knowing a credit score may reflect on a person’s health and future reliability.