Looking for the ideal man? Try the nearest museum or art gallery

I thought this daily mail article was another great argument for the value of the arts, and a bit of fun!

If you’re looking for a man who’s healthy and contented, perhaps your first date should be at a museum or art gallery.

That is because men who regularly indulge in cultural activities are likely to be in better shape, both mentally and physically, than those who do not, according to a study.

Going to the theatre, concerts and even the cinema results in a range of benefits for men, including less depression and anxiety.

Women also benefit, but not to the same degree, says the largest study of its kind.
Healthy: Cultural activities were significantly associated with good health and satisfaction with life

Healthy: Cultural activities were significantly associated with good health and satisfaction with life

The research, involving almost 51,000 adults, found the biggest beneficiaries were men who were interested in watching and looking at culture rather than actively participating in it themselves.

Researchers assessed the state of health, satisfaction with life, anxiety and depression levels of volunteers using questionnaires.

They were asked questions about ‘receptive’ cultural activities, including how often in the past six months they had been to a museum or art exhibition, a concert/play/film, a church/chapel or sporting event.

They were also asked about ‘creative’ cultural activities including club meetings, actively taking part in music/singing/theatre, parish work, outdoor activities, dance and sport.

Overall, cultural activities were significantly associated with good health and satisfaction with life. The more often people visited cultural places or were creative themselves, the more benefits were seen.

But the results showed men in particular gained the most benefits from receptive cultural activities, whereas women appeared to gain more from creative activities.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1390179/Looking-ideal-man-Try-nearest-museum-art-gallery-say-health-experts.html#ixzz1O1rHoe6h