Culture can slow ageing, says study

A study by Institute of Science Tokyo researchers found that older adults who frequently engage in cultural activities have a lower physiological age than their chronological age.

The study analyzed 4,207 observations from 1,899 adults aged 50 and above in the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing.

Each one-point increase in cultural engagement score was associated with a 0.085-year reduction in physiological age, even after adjusting for income, health, and lifestyle factors.

Physiological age was estimated using 10 markers including blood pressure, lung function, grip strength, walking speed, BMI, haemoglobin, cholesterol, and blood sugar.

Indian experts like Dr Prasun Chatterjee and Prof Rajesh Sagar noted that cultural and social engagement can improve memory, mood, and sense of purpose, promoting healthy ageing.