托福阅读:爱逛街的男士更长寿1 D3 x% j( V6 L, ^4 Z& U, x
It may come as old news to many women, but it seems a bit of retail therapy really is good for you. 7 {! p$ B+ r/ g7 m1 ^
A day at the shops can help you live longer, says a study.
6 t( T5 _, E. p% K' j9 w1 ^% L And surprisingly, the benefits are actually greater for men.
4 _9 z: J5 P, `: T. W9 E The study even suggests the long-term survival benefits of shopping are better than going to the gym.
5 i/ P) B, A( n* ?7 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.来自www.Examw.com& Z8 w, o9 X2 `; D# ? Y0 H# P: F
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.) O! |1 ~ p& U9 H
The researchers then tracked how long each of the participants lived by linking individuals to national death registration data between 1999 and 2008.1 X# o( c; c7 u1 m0 }' K4 T
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.
3 ~2 I8 {( {3 [9 ?1 d' z+ N 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.
B1 s+ d/ |$ W2 ]% {; f 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.7 A3 D# {) [ l6 n) c5 i- C" p9 I
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.& \4 [2 f) X/ T- S
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.'# Y# H+ R2 @3 x, \* P' K# _
But the study added:‘In shopping venues, socialising with, or watching others can provide social and mental benefits.$ m2 F7 [" B( G
‘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. |