Over the past few years of writing this blog I have spent a lot of words on the value of eating intelligently and exercising regularly to help control your weight and to age well. So, it is interesting to see that there is a positive relationship between hobby activity with mortality and frailty among community-dwelling elderly adults, according to a study by the department of Public Health Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, Sapporo, Japan.
Bonsai tree
On its face, this may seem outside our criteria of diet and exercise, but anything that may lead toward more healthy aging is worth looking into. Also, in previous posts on the brain (regardless of age) it has been shown that there are many benefits to mental activities. Learning anything new is beneficial to the individual on a physical and mental level. Certainly pursuing a hobby would qualify. You can click on the brain tags at the right for further info.
The study was seeking to identify factors that influence health status among elderly adults in Japan. It included over 2000 individuals between 65 and 84 years old. Questions on hobby activities were from 4 categories: solitary physical, group physical, solitary cultural, and group cultural activities.
They found that the folks who participated in hobby activity had a markedly lower mortality rate and also less chance of becoming bedridden.
Their conclusion was that the findings may be important for programs that seek to promote health among elderly adults since the proportion of Japanese adults aged 65 and older is predicted to increase.
On a personal level, you don’t need to cultivate Bonsai trees, there are lots of areas worth pursuing. Look into your own interests. No one knows better than you what kind of hobby can captivate your interest.
Tony
