12th May 2026

Engaging with arts linked to slower pace of aging

Regular arts and cultural activities, such as reading, listening to music or visiting museums, may slow biological aging by up to 4%, according to a new study.

The arts may offer more than just enjoyment, relaxation and creative expression. A new study by University College London (UCL) suggests that cultural activities could have measurable effects at the biological level, influencing markers linked to how quickly people age.

The research, published in the journal Innovation in Aging, examined survey responses and blood test data from 3,556 adults in the UK. Researchers compared participants' engagement with arts and culture with chemical changes to DNA that influence biological aging without altering the genetic code.

The research team found that those who engaged in arts and cultural activities more frequently, and who engaged in a wider diversity of these activities, appeared to have a slower pace of aging and a younger biological age, as suggested by changes to DNA.

The apparent effects were comparable to those seen for exercise. For instance, people who did an arts activity at least once a week seemed to age 4% more slowly than those who rarely engaged with arts. This was the same as those who exercised at least once a week compared to those who did no exercise. The links were stronger for middle-aged and older adults aged 40 or above and remained after accounting for factors that might skew the results such as BMI, smoking status, education level and income.

"These results demonstrate the health impact of the arts at a biological level. They provide evidence for arts and cultural engagement to be recognised as a health-promoting behaviour in a similar way to exercise," said Professor Daisy Fancourt, of the UCL Institute of Epidemiology & Health Care. "Our study also suggests that engaging in a variety of arts activities may be helpful. This may be because each activity has different 'ingredients' that help health, such as physical, cognitive, emotional or social stimulation."

Senior author Dr Feifei Bu, also of the UCL Institute of Epidemiology & Health Care, said: "Our study provides the first evidence that arts and cultural engagement is linked to a slower pace of biological aging. This builds on a growing body of evidence about the health impact of the arts, with arts activities being shown to reduce stress, lower inflammation and improve cardiovascular disease risk, just as exercise is known to do."

The researchers used data from the UK Household Longitudinal Study, a nationally representative sample whose participants' blood samples were analysed to estimate biological age and pace of aging. This was done using seven epigenetic clocks – tests that look at age-related DNA changes, known as DNA methylation. Each of the seven clocks measured methylation, where a methyl molecule attaches to a nucleotide, at different sites on the genome.

The two newest clocks, DunedinPoAm and DunedinPACE, estimate the pace of aging, with a faster aging score associated with a higher risk of age-related diseases. Both frequency and diversity of arts engagement and physical activity were found to be linked to slower aging.

For the DunedinPACE clock, doing an arts activity at least three times a year was linked to aging 2% more slowly, monthly engagement was linked to 3% slower aging, and weekly activity to a 4% slower aging rate, compared to those who engaged with arts less than three times a year.

This difference in pace of aging is comparable to that found in previous studies between current smokers and ex-smokers.

In another test, PhenoAge, which estimates biological age, people who engaged in arts and cultural activities at least weekly were a year younger on average compared to those who rarely engaged. People who did exercise at least weekly were just over half a year younger on average.

However, not all measures told the same story. The older epigenetic clocks analysed in the study did not show a clear benefit for either arts engagement or physical activity. The researchers suggest this may be because these clocks are less sensitive to age-related decline than newer measures such as DunedinPACE.

Even so, the findings add to a growing body of evidence that arts and culture may support healthier aging. While the study does not prove that reading, music or museum visits directly extend life, it suggests that creative and cultural activities could form part of a wider longevity-focused lifestyle that helps people stay healthier for longer.

For anyone already inclined to pick up a book, listen to music, paint, sing, dance or visit a gallery, the study offers another good reason to make time for the arts.

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