Vieillir moins vite grâce aux musées ? La science le confirme
A study published on May 11 in Innovation in Aging by University College London analyzed data from 3,556 adults in the UK, measuring their cultural engagement against biological age using epigenetic clocks. Researchers found that those who visit museums, exhibitions, concerts, or libraries at least once a week age approximately 4% more slowly than those who rarely participate. Even three cultural outings per year correlate with a 2% slowdown in biological aging, with monthly visits yielding a 3% effect—comparable to the benefits of physical exercise.
The findings suggest that regular cultural participation should be recognized as a health-promoting behavior alongside exercise, according to co-author Professor Daisy Fancourt. The effects are particularly pronounced in adults over 40, independent of lifestyle or income. This research reframes museum visits and cultural activities not merely as leisure but as interventions that stimulate cognition, social connection, and emotion, potentially influencing public health policy and individual habits in an aging society.