Shopping keeps you healthy, say scientists

A study by researchers at the Institute of Population Health Sciences in Taiwan has found that people who shop daily live longer those who do so once a week or less.

The team sampled 1,850 people over 65 living in their own homes; finding that those who shopped daily were 27 per cent less likely to die than those who shopped infrequently.

Researchers acknowledged that ability to shop indicates a base level of good health and made adjustments to the study to account for factors such as mental and physical infirmity.

Their results led them to conclude that shopping itself may improve health, because it provides companionship, exercise and the opportunity to maintain a healthy diet.

"Compared to other types of leisure-time physical activity, like formal exercise, which usually requires motivation and sometimes professional instruction, shopping activity is easier to undertake and maintain." The team said in the Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health.

David Oliver, visiting professor of medicine for older people at City University, London, endorses the report's conclusions as "making sense". He commented: "Shopping is going to involve physical activity, social interaction with other shoppers and because it's quite a complex task it's going to keep you mentally active."

Read a full report BBC News.

  ·