How catching a movie or visiting a museum may keep your body younger

 Did your competent? doctor get you recovered enough to do steps and visit places like this?

How catching a movie or visiting a museum may keep your body younger

• Physiological aging is the process by which the body’s cells, tissues, and organs grow older.
• This process of physiological aging can happen more quickly for some people and more slowly for others.
• Making healthy lifestyle decisions, such as staying cognitively engaged, has been shown to potentially help slow down physiological aging.
• A new study found that engaging in cultural experiences — such as going to the movies, the theater, or a museum — may also help slow a person’s physiological aging.

As we age, our bodies age along with us. Known as physiological agingTrusted Source, the process in which the body’s cells, tissues, and organs age can occur more quickly for some people and more slowly for others.

Past studies show that a person’s physiological age can even be older than their chronological or birth age, depending on the types of health choices they make during their lifetime.

Making healthy lifestyle decisions, such as eating a healthy diet, exercising regularlyTrusted Source, not smoking, limiting alcohol intake, managing stress, and staying cognitively engagedTrusted Source, can help slow physiological aging.

Now, a new study published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health says that engaging in cultural experiences — such as going to the movies, the theater, or a museum — may also help slow a person’s physiological aging.

Examining cultural experiences and physiological markers

For this study, researchers analyzed health data from almost 1,900 adults who had taken part in the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing — an ongoing study including adults ages 50 or older living in England.

Study participants were asked via questionnaire how often they went to the movies, a museum or art gallery, a theater production, a concert, or an opera.

Participants also had 10 physiological markers measured, including pulse pressure, diastolic blood pressure, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, body mass index (BMI), and walking speed.

“Many factors influence physiological aging,” Yusuke Matsuyama, PhD, DDS, associate professor and researcher in the Department of Dental Public Health at the Institute of Science Tokyo in Japan, and first author of this study, told Medical News Today. “Therefore, I believe that a range of approaches is needed to slow physiological aging and promote healthy aging.”

“Cultural engagement has been associated with well-being and various health outcomes and, importantly, it is modifiable,” Matsuyama continued. “I recently began studying physiological aging and therefore became interested in cultural engagement as a potential determinant.”

Higher cultural engagement, lower physiological age

At the study’s conclusion, researchers found that study participants with a high level of cultural engagement — attending a cultural event every few months or so — had a physiological age of about 66.9 years, which was lower than that of those with lower levels of cultural engagement.

Scientists also found that a one-point increase in cultural engagement score was associated with a 0.085-year (31 days) reduction in physiological age. This was after adjusting for certain factors such as household income and chronic health conditions.

“Specifically, our analytical approach eliminates bias from factors that do not change over time, such as genetic characteristics and/or personality traits,” Matsuyama said. “This provides more robust evidence that cultural engagement is associated with a lower physiological age.”

“Cultural engagement can take many forms, in terms of frequency, continuity, and whether people participate alone or with others,” he added. “These different aspects warrant further investigation.”

An observational study that requires more research

MNT spoke with Anna Chodos, MD, MPH, professor in the Division of Geriatrics at the University of California, San Francisco, and executive director of Dementia Care Aware (DCA), who was not involved in this study.

Chodos commented that there is an intuitiveness to these results that she thinks readers will appreciate.

“We can all imagine people who seem to be thriving more in older age who are also those we see being an active part of our cultural life as a society,” she explained.

“For example, those people who are out on the town to see theater or appreciate other cultural events. We know that cognitive stimulation and social engagement lead to better physiologic aging, so this makes sense that it would be protective for these adults as they age.”
— Anna Chodos, MD, MPH

“However, we must note, as the authors do, that this is an observational study,” Chodos added. “So, we hope that being engaged is protective of dementia, but it is also possible that some people may be more capable of being engaged. Someone whose cognitive decline limits them from going out to the theater would also have that factor as a health contributor for physiological aging.”

MNT also spoke with Kamal Wagle, MD, a geriatrician with Hackensack University Medical Center in New Jersey, who was also not involved in this study, and said future research in this area should investigate the causal relationship between cultural engagement and physiological aging through intervention studies.

“It would also be beneficial to explore the impact of different types and frequencies of cultural activities on specific health markers,” Wagle continued. “Longitudinal studies are essential to understand the long-term effects. Additionally, research should include diverse populations to ensure findings are applicable across various cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds.”

Tips on how to increase your cultural engagement

Dung Trinh, MD, an internist for MemorialCare Medical Group and chief medical officer of the Healthy Brain Clinic in Irvine, CA, who was not involved in this study, said these findings are encouraging because they suggest that something as accessible and meaningful as going to a museum, concert, theater, or cinema may be associated with healthier aging across several body systems.

For readers who wish to increase their level of cultural engagement, Trinh suggested starting small and choosing activities you genuinely enjoy, because consistency matters more than forcing yourself into something that feels like a chore.

“That could mean visiting a local museum every few months, attending a community concert, joining a book or film group, going to a library program, or exploring free cultural events in your area,” he told MNT.

“Invite a friend or family member when possible, since the social connection may be part of the benefit, and look for low-cost, accessible options if transportation, mobility, or finances are barriers. The goal is not to reach a perfect number of outings, but to build regular cultural and social stimulation into your routine.”
— Dung Trinh, MD

“At the same time, I would emphasize that this was an observational study, so it does not prove that cultural engagement directly slows aging; healthier, more mobile, and more socially connected people may also be more likely to participate,” Trinh added. “Still, the consistency of the findings over time makes cultural engagement a promising addition to broader healthy-aging strategies.”

Smart sensors could flag stroke risk in older people living alone, study finds

 FYI.

Smart sensors could flag stroke risk in older people living alone, study finds

Smart home sensors may help flag stroke risk in older people living alone by detecting changes in daily behaviour, a South Korean study suggests.

The AI-powered system used contactless Internet of Things sensors to identify behavioural patterns linked to a higher risk of stroke.

Researchers said monitoring these changes could support earlier detection among older adults.

Dr Cho Kyung-hee, professor of neurology at Korea University Anam Hospital and co-lead investigator, said: “Early intervention is crucial for the prognosis of cerebrovascular disease, but it is easy to miss subtle changes in elderly patients.”

Researchers from Korea University Anam Hospital, the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology and Sungkyunkwan University collected smart home data from 1,224 people in South Korea.

All participants were aged 65 or older, lived alone and could walk independently.

They were divided into three groups: people with no history of cerebrovascular disease, those previously diagnosed with the condition and a prodromal group later found to be at an early stage of the disease.

Cerebrovascular disease affects the blood vessels supplying the brain and includes conditions that can lead to stroke.

Prodromal refers to an early stage in which subtle changes may appear before a condition is diagnosed.

Researchers analysed more than 13,000 data points collected over 14 days using motion, door, temperature and humidity sensors.

The data covered physical activity, periods of inactivity, sleep patterns and indoor conditions.

Six AI models were trained to recognise changes and patterns in the sensor data.

The best-performing model, TabNet, recorded an AUPRC of 85 per cent when identifying participants in the prodromal group.

AUPRC measures how well a model identifies people in a target group while limiting false alerts.

The model recorded an AUROC of 91 per cent when distinguishing participants with a previous diagnosis from those with no history of cerebrovascular disease.

AUROC measures how effectively a system separates two groups, with a higher score indicating better performance.

In retrospective testing, the model identified home activity patterns recorded during the four weeks before a stroke diagnosis with 95.12 per cent sensitivity, 96.97 per cent specificity and 96.53 per cent accuracy.

Sensitivity measures how well a test identifies people with a condition, while specificity measures how accurately it rules out those without it.

More frequent periods of sustained movement before sleep, less time spent inactive and a later sleep onset were key markers of the prodromal group.

Among participants with a previous diagnosis, the main indicators included more continuous activity during the night and more frequent sleep interruptions.

Greater evening inactivity, fewer periods of sustained activity and low or high indoor humidity were also linked to a higher likelihood of diagnosis within four weeks.

The researchers said AI-powered contactless monitoring could eventually complement clinical assessments by helping to identify possible warning signs earlier.

They said the approach could be particularly useful for older adults living alone who may not immediately recognise changes in their health.

Hospitals across the Asia-Pacific region have also introduced AI-powered stroke imaging platforms in an effort to reduce treatment delays.

Last year, Apollo Hospitals in Chennai began implementing an AI-driven imaging system that reportedly reduced the time from scanning to image interpretation from about 30 minutes to seven minutes.

Scientists reviewed 83 studies — and found another reason to eat more berries

 How many berries are you getting in the hospital? I had none except when Mom brought strawberries(Yes, strawberries do contain anthocyanins. These natural pigments give the fruit its bright red color and act as antioxidants)

Scientists reviewed 83 studies — and found another reason to eat more berries

New findings highlight the potential role of a naturally occurring plant compound in supporting long-term heart health.m

Key Points

• People with the highest anthocyanin intake had a lower risk of cardiovascular disease, heart attack, type 2 diabetes, and hypertension than those with the lowest intake, according to a new systematic review and meta-analysis.
• Randomized controlled trials found that anthocyanin-rich foods improved blood vessel function and lowered fasting insulin levels in healthy adults.
• As little as 50 milligrams of anthocyanins per day was associated with improvements in some cardiovascular and metabolic measures, though not every outcome improved at that intake.

Your morning habit of tossing a handful of blueberries into your yogurt or smoothie may be doing more for your heart than you realized. 

In July, researchers from Tufts University Medical Center, Norwich Medical School, and Queen’s University Belfast published findings from a new systematic review and meta-analysis showing that people with higher intakes of anthocyanins — the pigments that give blueberries, cherries, and red cabbage their deep color — had a lower risk of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. 

The study, published in July in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, is the first review to combine long-term population data with randomized controlled trials specifically in healthy people, rather than folding in participants who already had heart disease or diabetes.

To understand how anthocyanins affect heart health, the researchers pooled data from 18 cohort studies and found that people with the highest anthocyanin intake had a 26% lower risk of cardiovascular disease, an 18% lower risk of heart attack, an 11% lower risk of type 2 diabetes, and an 8% lower risk of hypertension than those who ate the least.

Related video: 5 fruits with more fiber than bananas (WooGlobe)Related: These Flavanol-Rich Foods May Trigger an Exercise-Like Response in the Brain, Study Finds

Beyond finding the data, the team also reviewed 65 randomized controlled trials to understand why people were seeing such positive results. They found that eating more anthocyanin-rich foods improved “flow-mediated dilation,” a measure of how well blood vessels expand and relax, both immediately after eating and over weeks of regular consumption. The researchers also found that anthocyanin lowered fasting insulin levels. 

“This study suggests that simple and achievable dietary changes could have a significant impact in reducing the risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes,” Aedín Cassidy, the study’s lead investigator and chair of nutrition and preventive medicine at Queen’s University Belfast, said in a statement.

Perhaps the best news is that the daily dose of anthocyanin that made a difference was hardly extreme. The team found that doses as low as 50 milligrams a day, an amount they noted is realistically achieved through food alone, can show improvements. After all, a cup of blueberries contains roughly 150 to 160 milligrams of anthocyanins alone. It is important to note, however, that not every endpoint improved at this dose, and the paper did not show a clear dose-response across outcomes.

It is important to note that this study was funded by the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council under USDA oversight. However, the organization stated it had no oversight of the findings. And, of course, you can always get anthocyanins from other fruits and vegetables, such as blackberries, cherries, pomegranates, purple potatoes, and red cabbage. 

Foods naturally rich in anthocyanins

Anthocyanins are naturally occurring plant compounds that give many fruits and vegetables their deep blue, purple, and red hues. While blueberries are one of the best-known sources, they’re far from the only way to add more of these colorful pigments to your diet. Foods high in anthocyanins include:

• Blueberries: Stir them into yogurt or oatmeal or toss a handful onto cereal.
• Blackberries: Add them to a fruit salad or mix them into overnight oats.
• Black raspberries: Fold them into yogurt, blend them into smoothies, or use them to top pancakes or waffles.
• Cherries: Snack on fresh cherries in season, add them to salads, or stir frozen cherries into oatmeal as they warm.
• Blackcurrants: Blend frozen blackcurrants into smoothies or mix dried blackcurrants into trail mix.
• Red and purple grapes: Eat them as a snack, freeze them for a refreshing treat, or slice them into chicken or green salads.
• Red cabbage: Shred it into tacos, sandwiches, or slaws, or roast wedges until they’re lightly caramelized.
• Purple cabbage: Toss it into stir-fries, salads, or grain bowls for extra crunch and color.
• Purple potatoes: Roast them with olive oil and herbs, mash them, or swap them in for regular potatoes in potato salad.
• Purple sweet potatoes: Bake them whole, cube and roast them for grain bowls, or mash them as a colorful side dish.
• Eggplant: Roast, grill, or sauté it with the skin on, since that’s where most of its anthocyanins are found.
• Blood oranges: Eat them fresh, add slices to salads, or squeeze the juice into sparkling water or homemade vinaigrettes.

This is far from the only study to find that berries and other anthocyanin-rich foods can benefit your health. As Food & Wine reported in 2025, a large 24-year study involving more than 85,000 participants found that those who consumed the most flavonoids from tea, red wine, apples, blueberries, and oranges exhibited healthier aging patterns. Another scientific review published in January found that regularly eating wild blueberries can significantly support cardiometabolic health, including improved vascular function and blood pressure. When Food & Wine asked dietitians to rank the best berries for your health, blueberries came out as No. 1. And now this new study adds to this chorus. 

Related: Are You Eating the ‘Right’ Fruits and Vegetables? New Research Says It Matters

“Our study shows clinically relevant improvements in blood flow, elasticity of the arteries and insulin levels in the combined trial data, and these improvements could translate into significant long-term health benefits,” Cassidy added. “We hope these findings contribute to the existing and growing body of research on anthocyanins and enhance understanding of their potential role in human health.”

Reviewed by

Lauren Manaker MS, RDN, LD, CLEC: Lauren is an award-winning registered dietitian and three-time book author, with more than 22 years in the field.

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