Arts students 'die young'

The university course you pick may be related to the length of your life ahead and the way you die, say researchers.

Although the precise cause is unclear, a study of thousands of former students of Glasgow University found that arts and law students were most likely to die early. Science, engineering and medical students lived longer, although medics were most likely to die from alcohol-related causes.

Causes of death varied widely between the different faculties. Arts students were most likely to die from lung cancer or other forms of respiratory disease. Medics, on the other hand, were more likely to die as a result of accidents, suicide and violence.

Also conforming to stereotypes were divinity students - who tended to have much lower blood pressure than other types of graduate.

The reasons for these differences may be found back in the childhood of the students. Medical and science students were far more likely to come from more affluent backgrounds, whereas arts students were more likely to have experienced deprivation in childhood.

However, it could simply be the case that the "arts" culture was more likely to result in a student who smoked.