Cinema and museum trips ‘could slow biological ageing' according to new study
Engaging with culture can make an impact "comparable” to regular exercise, say researchers.
Trips to the cinema and museum could help you delay biological ageing, according to a new study.
Researchers say that the impact of taking part in cultural activities “can be comparable” to frequent exercise, keeping your physiological age in check.
What did the study show?
Experts have analysed data from nearly 2,000 participants in the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing, which follows those aged 50 or older in England.
They completed questionnaires on how frequently they visited the cinema, theatre, concerts or the opera, or how often they took trips to museums and art galleries.
From their answers, researchers were able to devise a cultural engagement score ranging from 0 to 15.
Nurses also measured 10 physiological markers including body mass index, grip strength, walking speed and diastolic blood pressure.
From their answers, researchers devised a cultural engagement score ranging from 0 to 15.
The findings of the study, published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, suggest that higher levels of cultural engagement can be “significantly associated” with lower psychological ageing.
Analysis found that those who engaged in outings every few months to places like museums, galleries and cinemas, had a physiological age of 66.9 years, three years lower than those who did so less often.
Those with higher scores were also more likely to be women, be in paid employment and have better health conditions.
Researchers said that promoting this type of engagement with culture could become a “promising strategy to slow the pace of physiological ageing and support healthy ageing in older adults”.
They added: “Cultural engagement is modifiable, and thus, it can serve as an effective intervention point for healthy longevity.
“Notably, the impact can be comparable to frequent physical activity.
“Increasing geographical and financial accessibility to cultural infrastructure and events would expand opportunities for frequent participation.
“Community-based cultural activities may also foster greater community involvement.
“For example, a 10-week museum programme that included curator talks, object handling and discussion, and arts activities improved emotional outcomes such as cheerfulness and feelings of encouragement among socially isolated older adults.”