The rich are living almost a decade longer than the rest of us, according to a new report published in the Journals of Gerontology.
The researchers studied the lives of more than 25,000 people over the age of 50 in both the United States and England for 10 years.
The study was meant to find the differences in healthy years lived between Americans and Britons, but instead revealed a monumental difference in life expectancy and quality of life depending on personal wealth.
Researchers found that, in both countries, people from the poorest demographics lived up to nine fewer years without age-related disabilities than those in the richest groups.
The poorest group in America was composed of those with less than $29,000 in average wealth, while the richest group was composed of people who had accumulated close to $1 million in average wealth, The New York Times reports.
The wealthiest men in the study lived 81 healthy years, while the poorest lived only 73, according to CNN.
Women across the board lived longer, but the disparity was still there. Wealthy women lived until the age of 83, while poorer women lived until the age of 74.
The study’s authors are concerned about this trend, warning in the study’s conclusion: “In both countries efforts in reducing health inequalities should target people from disadvantaged socioeconomic groups,” CNN reports.
The study also evaluated other factors such as race, education level and social class in America, but found they didn’t make nearly as significant of an impact as wealth.
According to Fox Business, this new study was unique in that it focused on quality of life, rather than life expectancy, which is 72 years, according to the World Health Organization.