Study Summary — The Roseto Effect: a 50 year comparison of mortality rates

Link to the Study: The Roseto Effect: a 50 year comparison of mortality rates

Key Points:

• In the 1950s and 60s, researchers noticed that inhabitants of the town Roseto, Pennsylvania had significantly lower rates of myocardial infarctions (heart attacks) than inhabitants of surrounding towns.
• The researchers did dietary comparisons between Roseto and neighboring towns, but could find no noticeable differences. Rosetans ate mostly traditional Italian diets, that were heavy in pasta and wine.
• In the late 60s, Roseto modernized, and rates of heart attack immediately rose to mirror those of surrounding locations.

Notes:

• Prior to this modernization, inhabitants of the town enjoyed tight social bonds. It is these bonds that are theorized to have been the causal factors in Rosetans’ once-superior health outcomes.

If you’d like to learn more about the Roseto Effect, check out the video below: