Religious upbringing linked to better physical health in old age

A new University of Helsinki analysed life-course data from over 10,000 individuals aged 50 and above across 28 European countries. The findings suggest that those with a religious upbringing tend to enjoy better physical health in later life and report fewer difficulties with daily activities such as dressing or washing.

The study suggests that religiosity is more common among lower socioeconomic groups, who may turn to religion as a way of coping with adversity. A religious upbringing may function as both a coping mechanism and an indicator of broader socioeconomic challenges. Families in such circumstances often have limited resources and face obstacles that restrict social mobility, making it more difficult for children to break free from inherited socioeconomic disadvantages.

“While religion may offer some benefits, it doesn’t necessarily fully mitigate the health risks linked to long-term disadvantages,” says Xu Zong of the University of Helsinki. 

Childhood socioeconomic challenges may, in fact, exacerbate health problems in later life.

“In particular, parental mental health issues and heavy alcohol consumption intensify the negative association between an early religious upbringing and self-rated health in later life,” notes Zong. 

Invest more in children’s wellbeing 

The researcher argues that tackling childhood socioeconomic disadvantages is key to narrowing health inequalities in later life.

“Investing in children’s social wellbeing in Finland and other ageing societies is one of the most effective ways to build a healthier, more equal future,” states Zong. 

Published in the journal Social Science & Medicine, the study comes at a crucial time as countries worldwide face the challenges of ageing populations. By 2050 the global population over the age of 60 is expected to hit 2.1 billion. 

In their study, the researchers employed an advanced machine learning method to detect complex patterns that traditional statistical techniques may miss. A religious upbringing was defined by whether participants were raised religiously by their parents during childhood.

After the Second World War, many children in Europe were brought up in families that attended religious services or learned moral beliefs and values from their parents. For some, these early rituals provided a sense of belonging and meaning; for others, they created pressures that lingered unresolved.

Further information:
Xu Zong 
+358 50 436 2056

Publication:
Zong, X., Meng, X., Silventoinen, K., Nelimarkka, M., & Martikainen, P. (2025). Heterogeneous associations between early-life religious upbringing and late-life health: Evidence from a machine learning approach. Social Science & Medicine, 380, Article 118210.