WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Taking part in creative activities and enjoying arts and culture may not only improve mental well-being but could also help people age more slowly, according to a new study from University College London (UCL) in the UK.
For the study, published in the journal Innovation in Aging, researchers studied survey data and blood samples from around 3,500 adults in the UK. Some participants were highly involved in arts and culture, while others rarely took part in such activities. The data came from the UK Household Longitudinal Study.
The team used special tools called epigenetic clocks, which measure changes in DNA linked to aging. These tools helped researchers estimate both a person's biological age and how quickly they are aging.
The findings showed that people who participated more often in creative and cultural activities tended to age more slowly and had a younger biological age. According to one of the tests, people who engaged in artistic activities at least three times a year had a 2% slower aging rate than those who rarely participated. Monthly participation was linked to a 3% slower aging pace, while weekly cultural activities were linked to a 4% slower aging rate.
Another test showed that people who took part in creative activities every week or more often had a biological age that was about one year younger on average than those who rarely engaged in such activities. The connection between arts engagement and slower aging was strongest in people aged 40 and above. Notably, the results remained the same even after considering factors like body weight, smoking, education, and income.
'Our study provides the first evidence that arts and cultural engagement is linked to a slower pace of biological aging. This builds on a growing body of evidence about the health impact of the arts, with arts activities being shown to reduce stress, lower inflammation and improve cardiovascular disease risk, just as exercise is known to do,' said senior author Feifei Bu from UCL Institute of Epidemiology & Health Care.
Moving forward, the UCL team plans to continue the research by studying different populations and exploring other possible health benefits of cultural and artistic activities.
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