Boston (SmartAboutHealth) - A new study has revealed that having great friends and long, strong relationships can help you live longer lives than those who do not have these relationships.

The study was led by researchers from Brigham Young University, and aimed to see what type of impact social relationships had on the lives of people.

Researchers looked into data from studies that included over 300,000 people. Just about everyone in the study was followed for roughly 7-years to collect data in regards to their relationships. In total, this was a collaboration of data from 148 different studies done previously.

What they found was that those who had long, strong relationships with others in the form of great friends, marriage, and kids was as beneficial to your health as quitting smoking, being obese, etc.

Having these types of relationships can actually balance unhealthy lifestyles such as not exercising and being obese.

There is no definitive answer as to what type of relationship is better, family or friends, but either way, it helps you increase your survival and enjoy a longer, happier life.

The conclusion here is that people need to put more stress into building and maintaining strong social relationships for the good of their health.

The study has been published in PLoS Medicine.