Abstract

Objectives. Although social and physical components of leisure activity have proven beneficial to successful aging, the influence of solitary and nonstrenuous activity on subsequent aging is unclear. This study examined reading activity to investigate the relationship of a solitary, nonstrenuous activity on aging and mortality.

Methods. A cohort of visually and cognitively intact community-dwelling participants born in 1920–1921, taken from the Jerusalem Longitudinal Study, underwent comprehensive assessment at ages 70 and 78. We collected mortality data spanning 8 years. We dichotomized reading frequency to daily or less and performed data analyses separately by gender.

Results. Reading daily was common at both ages 70 (62% of the sample) and 78 (68%) and was associated at baseline with female gender, Western origin, higher socioeconomic and educational statuses, employment, and reduced medications. The hazard ratio for mortality over the 8-year follow-up among men was significantly reduced (hazard ratio = 0.44, 95% confidence interval = 0.23–0.84) after we adjusted for numerous social, medical, and health parameters.

Discussion. The findings suggest that leisure activities devoid of social or physical benefits may nonetheless contribute to improved aging, predicting reduced mortality among men. A broader definition of leisure activities may be useful when considering the impact of these activities among older people.

REMAINING active into old age is commonly regarded as being synonymous with successful aging, heralding both health and survival benefits (Rowe & Kahn, 1997). However the nature and definition of activity among older people is clearly as diverse as the spectrum of human interests, and clarification is necessary concerning the specific types of activities that may bear either biological protection or enhancement.

Research has demonstrated the benefits of both strenuous and nonstrenuous physical activity, including positive effects on cognition (Lindsay et al., 2002; Yaffe, Barnes, Nevitt, Lui, & Covinsky, 2001), functional status (Boyle, Buchman, Wilson, Bienias, & Bennett, 2007; Seeman et al., 1995; Simonsick et al., 1993; Stessman, Hammerman-Rozenberg, Maaravi, & Cohen, 2002), self-rated health (Rockwood et al., 2004), mood (Penendo & Dahn, 2005), cardiovascular risk (Jansenn & Jolliffe, 2006), and longevity (Fried et al., 1998; Gregg et al., 2003; Landi et al., 2004; Stessman, Maaravi, Hammerman-Rozenberg, & Cohen, 2000). Similarly, research has shown social activity and continued social engagement to be associated with improved physical health (Everard, Lach, Fisher, & Baum, 2000), reduced disability and preservation of functional status (Mendes de Leon, Glass, & Berkman, 2003), diminished cognitive decline or dementia (Bassuk, Glass, & Berkman, 1999; Fratiglioni, Paillard-Borg, & Winblad, 2004), reduced levels of incident depression and decreased likelihood of new depressive episodes (Glass, Mendes de Leon, Bassuk, & Berkman, 2006), and increased longevity (Glass, Mendes de Leon, Marottoli, & Berkman, 1999). Productive nonstrenuous leisure activities, whether social (e.g., volunteering) or solitary (e.g., gardening), are associated with improved survival (Hyyppa, Maki, Impivaara, & Aromaa, 2005; Lennartsson & Silverstein, 2001; Musick, Herzog, & House, 1999). Cultural enrichment, attendance at religious services, and participation in creative activity have been the subjects of research (Bygren, Konlaan, & Johansson, 1996; Greaves, 2006; Konlaan, Bygren, & Johansson, 2000), however the results are inconclusive. Findings suggest that certain activities may be associated with improved survival; nonetheless, further clarification is necessary to determine if any consistent pattern of activities exists and, if so, at what degree of frequency or intensity of activity the benefit is observed.

Attempts to quantify activities that are beneficial to the aging process have suggested a categorization along two broad axes: physical versus sedentary, and social versus solitary. Indeed numerous activities often span different domains, with both physical and social benefits intermingled. Efforts to tease apart different aspects of activities have confirmed the positive effects of the social or physical component of activity on function, life satisfaction, and, on occasion, survival (Menec, 2003). Solitary yet active leisure activities are beneficial, and yet questions remain about the beneficial aspects for aging of activities devoid of both physical and social engagement.

Reading for leisure is an example of such activity—detached, nonstrenuous, and solitary, with little social or physical benefit or obvious utility. Despite the social ramifications that might exist (e.g., participation in book clubs, library attendance, or reading to grandchildren), nonetheless the act of reading on a frequent basis is predominantly solitary in nature. Furthermore, although the act of reading clearly represents different things to different people, it is nonetheless primarily a form of mental stimulation, generally an enriching experience and sometimes creative. The effects of reading activity as a regular leisure pastime among older people are largely undefined. This study aimed to examine the hypothesis that reading is a solitary sedentary leisure activity that contributes to successful aging and decreased mortality.

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