Cultural engagement linked to healthier, longer aging
In a rare study looking at the relationship between cultural engagement and biological aging, scientists have found a potential link between spending time at the theater, visiting museums, and watching movies on the big screen and living healthier for longer.
Researchers from Japan’s Institute of Science Tokyo have conducted what they believe is the first-ever longitudinal study on cultural engagement and biological aging. They analyzed data gathered on 1899 adults aged 50 years and older from the UK’s English Longitudinal Study of Aging.
Ten physiological markers, or biomarkers, were measured: pulse pressure, diastolic blood pressure, forced expiratory volume, hemoglobin concentration, fibrinogen, glycated hemoglobin, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, body mass index (BMI), grip strength, and walking speed.
The participants also answered a survey related to cultural engagement, gathering data on how many times people had attended a cinema, art gallery or museum, theater, concert or the opera. This wasn’t based on events per year but a rolling average, with data collected on at least two occasions – in 2004/2005, 2006/2007 or 2008/2009.
A score was applied to the participants’ responses – from zero, if an individual had never attended the listed cultural activities, to five, indicating two visits a month or more. Overall, participants received a score ranging from zero to 15.
What the researchers found, when looking at both sets of data, was that people who had the highest cultural engagement had an average biological age of 66.9 years – three years lower than participants who never or rarely attended places like museums and theaters (69.9 years).
After adjusting for obvious confounding factors – household income, employment, chronic health conditions – the study found that a single point increase in the cultural engagement score was associated with a 0.085-year (31 days) lower biological age.
There are clear limitations here, most notably that people in better health are more likely to attend pubic events and navigate crowds and spaces that largely cater to able-bodied patrons.
What’s more, the rising cost of living in many countries – including the US and Australia – has seen theaters struggle to get bums on seats and concerts and other events canceled because of poor ticket sales. For many people, engagement in the arts is one of the first cuts made to a budget when things get tight.
And while it’s easy to blame streaming services for dwindling cinema attendance, it’s not a cheap night out anymore. In a 2022 survey, 52% of US respondents said going to watch a film on the big screen was too expensive.
The researchers acknowledge that wealth, time and health play a big part in how accessible the culture and arts are to people. However, they also note that there are more affordable ways to get your culture fix for cheap – and get your steps in doing so, if you can.
“The impact can be comparable to frequent physical activity,” the researchers write.
In their results, the scientists found that women were more likely to partake in cultural enrichment in their spare time.
The team also highlights the importance of providing cultural events and spaces to those who live in areas of limited access.
The researchers also note that future studies should aim to take a long-term look at whether cultural engagement promotes better health, and also investigate the mechanisms that could be at play.
The study was published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health.
Source: Institute of Science Tokyo via Scimex
Fact-checked by Mike McRae
