A fascinating new study tells us that good neighbors make for good heart health.
Recent finding: When more than 5,000 adults were followed for four years, those who rated their neighborhoods as friendly had a 67% lower risk for heart attacks than people who rated their neighborhoods negatively.
Possible explanation: Strong social support has been linked to better health (including heart health) in past studies, so tight-knit, friendly neighborhoods are believed to also confer that benefit.