Story perspectives

Unattractive Teens Face 78% Higher Mortality, Study Finds

6/13/2026

Summary

Story summary

Grzegorz Bulczak found that unattractive adolescents faced a 1.78-fold higher mortality risk over 28 years.
The 16,554-person National Longitudinal Study (1994-1995 start, deaths through 2022) showed the link persisted after adjusting for demographics, socioeconomic status and BMI, significant for females only.
A rating at age 28 showed a similar association, prompting authors to caution that few deaths and combined unattractive groups limit conclusions and may reinforce lookism.

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Story summary

Grzegorz Bulczak found that unattractive adolescents faced a 1.78-fold higher mortality risk over 28 years.
The 16,554-person National Longitudinal Study (1994-1995 start, deaths through 2022) showed the link persisted after adjusting for demographics, socioeconomic status and BMI, significant for females only.
A rating at age 28 showed a similar association, prompting authors to caution that few deaths and combined unattractive groups limit conclusions and may reinforce lookism.