It may come as old news to many women, but it seems a bit of retail therapy really is good for you.
6 d7 `2 U1 b* [ c A day at the shops can help you live longer, says a study.* M! ~, ?4 s, W
And surprisingly, the benefits are actually greater for men.. G- Q* `4 k* b- f: E; r
The study even suggests the long-term survival benefits of shopping are better than going to the gym.
- y2 ^2 u- L( y& u( t& l Seeing friends and just people-watching can stave off loneliness and improve psychological health, suggests research published online in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health.. W' d+ A5 n* w& o: Z
It looked at almost 1,850 people aged 65 and over living independently at home in Taiwan, who were asked how often they went shopping.
% Q( e6 I) H4 ]) t& c0 z The researchers then tracked how long each of the participants lived by linking individuals to national death registration data between 1999 and 2008.
* e U2 Q7 l$ f# [+ A" L; ] They found those who shopped daily lived longer than those who shopped less frequently, even after taking account of people’s physical or other health problems.
% `2 J3 j* ]/ ]7 p: d# \( G: \ Going to the shops every day cut the chances of a participant dying during the period of the study by more than a quarter compared with those who don’t shop regularly.7 I* m4 W4 f! J! \: g. s, X$ G) T6 K
Older men who frequently popped out to the shops had the best survival record, with a reduction of 28 per cent in their chances of dying, while older women saw slightly less benefit with a 23 per cent cut in dying.考试用书
6 h8 o* C2 @) E9 G Researchers led by Dr Yu-Hung Chang at the National Health Research Institutes, in Zhunan, Taiwan, accept that those who shopped regularly may have been in better health to begin with.3 X# \' k' g; @" x7 [! O8 R
They said: 'An elder who shops less for food would be at risk of poorer diet quality necessary to maintain health. A vicious cycle that involves limited shopping and poor diet could evolve for elders.'* l4 g5 {0 z" |
But the study added: ‘In shopping venues, socialising with, or watching others can provide social and mental benefits.! S* i7 }7 u4 T/ j
‘Compared with other types of leisure-time physical activity, like formal exercise, which usually requires motivation and sometimes professional instruction, shopping is easier to undertake and maintain.’ |