Thaindian News

Washington, April 6 (ANI): Want to live a long life? Then go shopping, often, suggests a new research.

The study has revealed that a spot of regular retail therapy can help people live longer. And it seems to benefit older men the most.

The findings are based on almost 1,850 elderly (65 plus) Taiwanese people who were living independently at home, and included in the nationally representative Elderly Nutrition and Health Survey in Taiwan (NAHSIT Elderly), carried out in 1999-2000.

Participants were asked how often they went shopping, with options ranging from “never” to “every day.”

Intellectual and physical capacities were measured using validated questionnaires, and age, gender, education, ethnicity, financial and employment status, lifestyle factors and the prevalence of long term conditions were also factored in.

The researchers then tracked how long each of the participants lived by linking individuals to national death registration data between 1999 and 2008.

Nearly half (48 percent) of the participants never or infrequently shopped during the week, and around one in four (22 percent) shopped between two and four times a week. A further 17 percent shopped every day, and the remainder shopped just once a week.

Almost two thirds of respondents were under the age of 75. Just over half (54 percent) were men. Most had a healthy lifestyle and three out of four were financially self-sufficient. Almost two thirds (60 percent) had up to two long-term conditions.

Those who went shopping more than once a week tended to be at the younger end of the age spectrum, and male. They also tended to be smokers and drinkers, have better physical and mental health, take regular exercise and have a network of dinner companions.

The researchers used different approaches to take account of physical limitations and cognitive impairment, but even so, those who shopped daily lived longer than those who shopped less frequently.

Those who shopped daily were 27 percent less likely to die, with male daily shoppers 28 percent less likely to die, compared with female shoppers who were 23 percent less likely to die.

The study has been published online in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health. (ANI)