A new study from University College London found a link between participating in arts-related activities and living longer. The researchers discovered that those who engaged in the arts at least every few months had a 31 percent lower risk of dying early than those who did not, while those who participated in the arts just one or twice a year had a 14 percent lower risk.
Part of the reason for the difference in life longevity can be chalked up to socioeconomic differences between those who go to museums, art galleries, and theaters, and those who cannot. Although wealth accounted for around 9 percent of the correlation, and factors like cognitive differences, social and civic engagement, and mobility also played a role, over half of the association was independent of these factors.
Daisy Fancourt, associate professor at UCL’s Research Department of Behavioral Science and Health and an author of the study, told
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