An illustrative example is the town of Roseto, Pennsylvania, whose inhabitants were, in the '50s, immune to cardiovascular diseases, the leading cause of death in industrialized countries. Moreover, the death rate of men over 65 was two times smaller than in the rest of the United States.
After ruling out diet, genetics, and several other factors,
Dr. Stewart Wolf came to the conclusion that the Rosetians' longevity was due to their sense of community. At the end of nineteenth century, the town was founded by Italian immigrants who knew
each other. Unsurprisingly the town continued to grow as a close-knit
community: people met in the evening for a walk or a game of cards and celebrated holidays together. The ostentatious display of wealth was looked awry on, as envy would have had divided the community. Therefore, although there were rich families in Roseto, it was impossible to recognize them by clothes, cars or houses.
To Think About
A functional social structure may change the mental and physical condition of the people to such an extent that their health will benefit from this influence. People who have strong social connections live longer and better.
Source: Klein, S. (2008). "Formula fericirii. Minunatele descoperiri ale neuropsihologiei de azi". Bucharest: Humanitas