Each year spent in school or university improves a person's life expectancy.
Every year spent in education improves your life expectancy
A review - using evidence from countries including the UK, US, China and Brazil - found that an adult's risk of mortality was reduced by two per cent for every year spent in full-time education.
Completing three stages of education lowers the risk of death by 34 per cent compared to those who do not have a formal education and is akin to a lifetime of eating a healthy diet.
Meanwhile, not attending school at any point was as damaging for adult health as heavy drinking or smoking.
Researchers at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology say the analysis provides "compelling evidence" in support of more investment in education to reduce global death rates.
Dr. Terje Andreas Eikemo, the study's co-author, said: "Education is important in its own right, not just for its benefits to health, but now being able to quantify the magnitude of this benefit is a significant development."