Want to live a long life? Then go shopping, often.
That’s the suggestion of researchers in Taiwan, who have found that older men in particular seem to benefit from a daily dose of retail therapy.
The research, published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, looked at data on almost 1,850 Taiwanese people aged 65 or over living independently at home, and included in an Elderly Nutrition and Health Survey carried out in 1999–2000.
It found that shopping daily seemed to be the best recipe for longevity, with those doing so 27 per cent less likely to die than those who shopped less frequently – suggesting that shopping has an impact on people’s health and wellbeing.
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The authors acknowledge that shopping could imply good health in the first place, but they believe that the activity may improve health by, for example, ensuring people have a good supply of fresh food, which helps them maintain a healthy diet. Frequent shopping among older people might not always be about buying things, they add, but about seeking companionship or taking exercise in a way that is easier to do than taking part in more formal activities. “Shopping captures several dimensions of personal wellbeing, health and security, as well as contributing to the community’s cohesiveness and economy, and may represent or actually confer increased longevity,” say the authors. Participants in the study were asked how often they went shopping, with options ranging from never, to every day. The researchers then tracked how long each of those taking part lived, by linking them to national death registration data. Almost half (48 per cent) never or infrequently shopped, while 22 per cent shopped between two and four times a week, 17 per cent every day and the rest just once a week. Almost two thirds of the respondents were aged under 75, just over half were male and most had a healthy lifestyle. Three out of four were financially independent and six out of ten had up to two long-term conditions. Those who went shopping more than once a week tended to be younger and male. They also tended to be smokers and drinkers, have better physical and mental health, take regular exercise and have a network of dinner companions. Even when other lifestyle factors were taken into account, those who shopped daily lived longest. Men who shopped every day were 28 per cent less likely to die, while female daily shoppers were 23 per cent less likely to. The researchers conclude that while the conventional view of health promotion focuses on physical activity, engaging in social and economic activities in later life may also contribute to better health.Donate to us: support independent, intelligent, in-depth Scottish journalism from just 3p a day
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