Regular Physical Activity and Arts Engagement Linked to Slower Biological Aging Process: Study

A museum visit, dance class, painting session, or evening walk may be doing more than lifting mood-they could also be slowing the body's biological aging process. A new study published in Innovation in Aging suggests that leisure activities such as arts engagement and physical activity are linked to slower epigenetic aging, a key marker of how quickly the body is aging at the molecular level.

Researchers analyzed data from more than 3,500 adults participating in the UK Household Longitudinal Study. Using blood samples, scientists examined DNA methylation patterns—chemical changes that help regulate gene activity and are widely used in modern “aging clocks” to estimate biological age.

The findings revealed that people who regularly participated in arts and cultural activities appeared biologically younger than less engaged individuals. Monthly participation in activities such as attending concerts, museums, heritage events, or creative arts was linked to nearly a 0.8-year reduction in biological age. Weekly engagement was associated with an even larger reduction of just over one year.

The study also found that diversity mattered. People involved in a wider variety of arts and cultural experiences showed slower biological aging rates compared with those participating in fewer activities.

Physical activity showed similar benefits. Weekly exercise was linked to lower biological age scores and a slower pace of aging. Participants with the highest activity levels demonstrated reductions of up to 1.34 years in one biological aging measure.

Interestingly, the associations were strongest in newer epigenetic clocks designed to reflect overall health decline and aging speed, rather than simply chronological age.

Scientists believe these activities may influence aging through multiple pathways. Arts engagement can provide social connection, mental stimulation, emotional regulation, and sensory enrichment, while physical activity is known to affect inflammation, metabolism, and DNA-related processes.

Researchers caution that the study cannot prove cause and effect, and the findings were limited to white European participants. Still, the results add to growing evidence that everyday lifestyle choices may shape how the body ages at a biological level.

REFERENCE: Fancourt, D., Masebo, L., Finn, S., Mak, H. W., & Bu, F. (2026). Does leisure activity matter for epigenetic ageing? Analyses of arts engagement and physical activity in the UK Household Longitudinal Study. Innovation in Aging. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/geroni/igag038. https://academic.oup.com/innovateage/advance-article/doi/10.1093/geroni/igag038/8669801