SerpApi.Org
Age is just a number, or so they say, but for some people, this saying is the reality. Chronological age—the number of years since birth—does not always reflect physiological age.
Physiological age is actually how well a body functions compared to typical age-related benchmarks.
“Biological age captures how a person is aging, according to many different factors and biomarkers,” says Dr. Francisco Lopez-Jimenez, M.D., M.S., chair of the Division of Preventive Cardiology at Mayo Clinic.
The Importance of Culture
For some people, a decline in quality of life or health comes earlier, with illness, lack of sleep, chronic stress, lack or exercise or other factors.
For others, staying fit throughout their lives can lead to a lower physiological age chronologically later in life.
Now, new research published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health reveals that cultural activities may help contribute to a younger physiological age.
In this study, 1,899 adults aged 50 and older residing in the United Kingdom were assigned cultural engagement scores based on how frequently they visited museums, cinemas and theaters.
A score of zero indicated the lowest level of engagement, while a score of 15 was the highest level of engagement.
“The fixed-effects analysis showed that a one-point higher cultural engagement score was significantly associated with a 0.085-year lower [physiological age],” the study authors reported.
Data was collected on 10 physiological markers, including:
- Pulse pressure
- Diastolic blood pressure
- Forced expiratory volume
- Hemoglobin concentration
- Fibrinogen
- Glycated hemoglobin
- Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol
- Body mass index (BMI)
- Grip strength
- Walking speed.
The study found that those with higher levels of cultural engagement also followed other, relatively unrelated, trends.
These individuals were more likely to be women, have higher socioeconomic status, be in paid employment and have better health conditions.
Study authors suggest that “cultural engagement can strengthen social relationships, promote healthier lifestyle behaviors and improve mental health, all of which may help slow the pace of physiological aging.”
“Notably, the impact can be comparable to frequent physical activity,” they write.
‘Doesn’t just move us emotionally’
In fact, previous studies have concluded that visiting art galleries can have a positive impact on the immune, hormone and nervous systems all at once.
Aside from the physical aspect of walking around a gallery, it also stimulates the emotional and intellectual side of people.
In that study, Dr. Tony Woods, researcher at King’s College London, noted, “In essence, art doesn’t just move us emotionally–it calms the body too.”
Now, it seems the benefits for the body and the mind extend beyond art galleries into other cultural spheres, including theater, music, opera and cinema.
As people age, it may just be the activities they love the most that keep them young—at least physiologically, that is.
Newsweek has reached out to study authors for comment via email.
Related Articles
