The Surprising Power of Hobbies
By UNIVERSITY COLLEGE LONDON
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A
hobby is associated with reduced depressive symptoms and increased happiness,
self-rated health, and life satisfaction in individuals aged 65 and above. This
observation is consistent across 16 nations spanning three continents,
according to a study spearheaded by researchers from UCL.
The
study, published in the journal Nature Medicine, aimed to see if
the positive effects of hobbies remained constant across diverse cultural
contexts. It analyzed data from 93,263 seniors, 65 years and older, who
participated in five ongoing longitudinal studies in England, Japan, the United
States, China, and 12 European countries.
Analyzing
data from participants spanning four to eight years, the researchers found that
having a hobby was also linked to subsequent decreases in depressive symptoms
and increases in happiness and life satisfaction, suggesting there might be a
causal effect, although as an observational study, it could not prove
causality.
Accounting for External Factors
These
results remained after adjusting for other factors such as partnership status,
employment, and household income.
The
study found the benefits of having a hobby were relatively universal, with only
small differences between countries.
Lead
author Dr Karen Mak (UCL Institute of Epidemiology & Health Care) said:
“Our study shows the potential of hobbies to protect older people from
age-related decline in mental health and wellbeing. This potential is
consistent across many countries and cultural settings.
“Of
the four outcomes, life satisfaction was most strongly linked to hobby
engagement. Hobbies may contribute to life satisfaction in our later years
through many mechanisms, including feeling in control of our minds and bodies,
finding a purpose in life, and feeling competent in tackling daily issues.
“Theoretical
work suggests the relationship between hobbies and wellbeing may cut both ways
– that people with better mental health may be more likely to take up a hobby,
and persisting with a hobby may help us to retain improved life satisfaction.
“Our
research also supports policymakers in promoting access to hobbies among older
people as a way to enhance their wellbeing and health.”
Variations
in Hobby Engagement Across Countries
Hobbies,
defined as activities people engage in during their leisure time for pleasure,
might range from volunteering or being part of a club to reading, gardening,
playing games, and arts and crafts.
The
researchers found the proportion of people who said they had a hobby varied considerably
between countries, with 51% of study participants in Spain reporting having a
hobby, compared to 96% in Denmark, 95.8% in Sweden and 94.4% in Switzerland.
China
had the lowest level of hobby engagement, at 37.6%, but researchers cautioned
that study respondents in China were asked only about social hobbies, not
hobbies in general.
In
countries with better life expectancy and national happiness levels, more
people reported having a hobby, and also the link between wellbeing and having
a hobby was stronger in those countries.
Reference:
“Hobby engagement and mental wellbeing among people aged 65 years and older in
16 countries” by Hei Wan Mak, Taiji Noguchi, Jessica K. Bone, Jacques Wels,
Qian Gao, Katsunori Kondo, Tami Saito and Daisy Fancourt, 11 September
2023, Nature Medicine.
DOI: 10.1038/s41591-023-02506-1
The
five longitudinal studies were: the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing
(ELSA), the Japan Gerontological Evaluation Study (JAGES), US Health and
Retirement Study (HRS), Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe
(SHARE), and China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS). In ELSA,
JAGES, and HRS, participants were asked about hobbies and the word was not
defined; in SHARE and CHARLS, participants were asked if they engaged in a
specific list of hobbies.
The
study was supported by Wellcome, National Endowment for the Arts, Belgian
National Scientific Fund, and Japan Society for the Promotion Science.