(Image Source: Fox News Latino)
 

BY AUSTIN FAX

ANCHOR ANA COMPAIN-ROMERO

You're watching multi-source health analysis from Newsy.

There’s no doubt about it-- presidents age. But, is the stress of the White House to blame for all the gray hairs? WPVI says the answer might surprise you.

“Contrary to the idea that being President speeds up aging-- a new study shows that many US commanders in chief have lived longer than their peers. The study found that 23 of 34 presidents that died of natural causes lived several years longer than expected. The former Presidents still alive have already lived longer than predicted or likely will because they are in good health, according to the study.”

The study also found the average lifespan of the first eight U.S. presidents was almost 80 years -- while their not-so-presidential counterparts only lived to 40 on average back then. A writer for the Harvard Health Letter offers some explanation.

“All but 10 of the deceased presidents were college educated, wealthy, and had access to the top medical care of their day. To reach the age at which they became president (the average was 55.1 years), they had to get through the perils of birth, early childhood, and young adulthood. Especially in the 18th, 19th, and early 20th centuries, that wasn’t easy, so these men probably had some inborn hardiness...”

President Obama hit the big 5-0 in August. With the economy down and poll numbers dwindling-- Fox News says this study offers some good news for the Head of State.

“[Head researcher Jay] Olshansky has even done some projecting about 50-year-old President Barack Obama Given his age when inaugurated, Obama's life expectancy would be 79, but Olshansky estimates that Obama will live to at least 82.”

So how do Presidents keep the public from thinking they are over the hill? CNN’s Joe Johns draws hair inspiration from a coworker.  

JOHNS: “I come from the Ali Velshi school of styling. So, when people go to the White House, they should think about that. At some point, they should just cut it off.”
MALVEAUX: “Just shave it all off. It makes you look 10 years younger.”
JOHNS: “No stress in the business.”

So what about all the before and after pictures of the President graying? Researchers say that can be attributed to stress and the normal aging process.