<p>People who regularly visit museums or participate in creative activities may be aging more slowly on a biological level, according to a new study from the <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/category/world/world-regions/united-kingdom" target="_blank" rel="noopener">United Kingdom</a>.</p><p>Researchers from University College London analyzed data from more than 3,500 adults and found that people who frequently engaged in <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/category/entertainment/genres/arts" target="_blank" rel="noopener">arts and cultural activities</a> showed signs of slower biological aging in several DNA-based measurements.</p><p>The findings were published in the journal Innovation in Aging.</p><p><a href="https://www.foxnews.com/health/creative-hobbies-keep-brain-young-study-finds-here-best-ones-pursue" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>CREATIVE HOBBIES KEEP THE BRAIN YOUNG, STUDY FINDS — HERE ARE THE BEST ONES TO PURSUE</strong></a></p><p>The study examined activities including painting, photography, dancing, singing, visiting museums and attending cultural events or <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/category/travel/general/historic-sites" target="_blank" rel="noopener">historic sites</a>.</p><p>Researchers compared participation in those activities with "epigenetic clocks," scientific tools that examine chemical changes in DNA over time.</p><p>Adults who participated more often, and in a wider variety of activities, tended to show slower aging scores compared to people who rarely engaged in arts or cultural experiences.</p><p><a href="https://www.foxnews.com/health/anti-aging-benefits-linked-one-surprising-health-habit" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>ANTI-AGING BENEFITS LINKED TO ONE SURPRISING HEALTH HABIT</strong></a></p><p>The association appeared even stronger among adults over age 40.</p><p>Researchers also noted that the effect sizes were comparable to those linked to physical activity, one of the most widely studied behaviors associated with <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/category/health/healthy-living/longevity" target="_blank" rel="noopener">healthy aging</a>.</p><p>Jessica Mack, a health and wellness expert and founder of The Functional Consulting Group who was not involved in the study, said the findings reflect a growing understanding that health is influenced by more than exercise and <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/category/health/nutrition-and-fitness/nutrition" target="_blank" rel="noopener">nutrition alone</a>.</p><p><a href="https://www.foxnews.com/newsletters?cmpid=fnfirstnl" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><u>CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR LIFESTYLE NEWSLETTER</u></strong></a></p><p>"Arts and cultural engagement may be associated with slower epigenetic aging, with effects comparable in some measures to physical activity," Mack told Fox News Digital.</p><p>She said activities such as visiting museums and engaging with music or art may help reduce stress, improve emotional regulation and increase social connection.</p><p>"These are not ‘extra’ lifestyle activities," Mack said. "They may be deeply connected to how the body manages inflammation, <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/category/health/mental-health/stress-and-anxiety" target="_blank" rel="noopener">stress hormones</a>, mood and overall resilience."</p><p><a href="https://www.foxnews.com/lifestyle" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><u>CLICK HERE FOR MORE LIFESTYLE STORIES</u></strong></a></p><p>Mack added that people experiencing stress, social isolation, retirement or caregiving responsibilities may especially benefit from meaningful cultural engagement.</p><p>Experts cautioned, however, that the study does not prove arts engagement directly slows aging.</p><p>"This is an observational study, not an experiment," Professor Steve Horvath of UCLA, a longevity researcher and pioneer in epigenetic aging research who was not involved in the study, told Fox News Digital.</p><p><a href="https://www.foxnews.com/category/lifestyle/quizzes" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><u>TEST YOURSELF WITH OUR LATEST LIFESTYLE QUIZ</u></strong></a></p><p>"So when researchers find that the people who go to museums have younger epigenetic age, we cannot tell whether the museum visits <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/category/health" target="_blank" rel="noopener">slowed their aging</a>, or whether their slower aging is what allowed them to keep visiting museums," he said.</p><p>Horvath said both explanations may be true to some degree, though he described the research as "methodologically careful" and worthy of further study.</p><p>The findings remained consistent even after accounting for factors <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/category/health/respiratory-health/stop-smoking" target="_blank" rel="noopener">such as smoking</a>, income, body weight and other lifestyle habits.</p><p>He added that regardless of whether arts engagement is directly slowing biological aging, staying socially and mentally active is still associated with healthier aging overall.</p><p>"The prescription is the same," he said. "Keep going."</p>
