A trip to the museum or time spent reading might be doing more than filling an afternoon.

A new study from University College London found adults who regularly took part in arts and cultural activities appeared to have a slower pace of biological aging and a younger biological age. The findings were published in the journal Innovation in Aging.

Researchers looked at blood test data and survey responses from more than 3,500 adults in the UK. They compared arts and cultural engagement, including listening to music, visiting a museum and reading, with chemical changes to DNA that influence biological aging without altering the genetic code.

The team 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. That was measured using seven epigenetic clocks, tests that look at age-related DNA changes.

The study found people who chose these activities more often, and took part in a wider range of them, appeared to age more slowly. The links were stronger for adults over 40 and remained after accounting for factors including body mass index, smoking, education level and income.

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

The researchers said that was comparable to exercise. People who did an arts activity at least once a week seemed to age 4 percent more slowly than those who rarely engaged with arts. That was the same as those who exercised at least once a week, compared to those who did no exercise.

In another test, PhenoAge, people who engaged in arts and cultural activities at least weekly were a year younger on average than those who rarely engaged. People who exercised at least weekly were just over half a year younger on average.

“These results demonstrate the health impact of the arts at a biological level,” study lead author Professor Daisy Fancourt said in a College media release.

“They provide evidence for arts and cultural engagement to be recognized as a health-promoting behavior in a similar way to exercise,” she said.

“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 said the study provides the first evidence that arts 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 two newest epigenetic clocks used in the study, DunedinPoAm and DunedinPACE, estimate the pace of aging, with a faster aging score associated with a higher risk of age-related diseases. The study said both frequency and diversity of arts engagement and physical activity were linked to slower aging.

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

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