It has been shown that interacting with more people keeps older people more active

It has been said that variety is the spice of life and scientists now say that diversity in your social circle can help you live longer. Researchers at the University of Texas at Austin found that older people who spent more time interacting with a wider range of people were more likely to be physically active and had greater emotional well-being. .

In an article published on February 20 in the Magazines of Gerontology Series B: Psychological and Social Sciencesresearchers found that study participants who interact more with family members and close friends, as well as acquaintances, casual friends, service providers, and strangers, were more likely to do more of physical activity, to spend less time sitting or lying down, better moods and less negative feelings. This is the first study to establish a link between social engagement and physical activity throughout the day.

"Adults often become less physically active and more sedentary as they get older, and these behaviors are a risk factor for illness and death," said Karen Fingerman, Professor of Human Development and Family Studies. at UT Austin and director of New Texas University. Center of aging and longevity. "It's hard to convince people to go to the gym or to engage in regular exercise, but they may be willing to meet acquaintances, attend a group event or to talk to the barrista who serves them to their favorite.Socialization in these contexts can also increase physical activity and various behaviors in a way beneficial to health without necessarily making sweat. "

Researchers interviewed study participants about their activities and social gatherings every three hours for about a week. Participants also wore electronic devices to monitor their physical activity. Fingerman and the team observed that during the three-hour periods in which participants had to deal with a larger number of social partners, they indicated that they had participated in a wider variety of activities such as: that go out of the house, walk, talk with other people or go shopping. They also engaged in more objectively measured physical activity and spent less time remaining sedentary.

Previous studies have shown that close social ties, such as family and close friends, can be beneficial to older people by providing protection against stress and improving their emotional well-being. The researchers had not examined the physical activity nor the benefits of more peripheral social connections.

This study has shown that this knowledge or these peripheral links can encourage older people to be more physically active, a key factor that contributes to physical and emotional health, as well as cognitive abilities.

"Older adults may be able to stay more sedentary with their close friends and family, while sitting in front of the television or lounging at home," Fingerman said. "But to maintain relationships, the elderly must leave home or at least get up from their chairs to open the door."

The study included more than 300 adults over 65 living in the metropolitan area of ​​Austin and controlled for factors such as age, race, gender, status civil, education and ethnicity.

"Previous research on aging focused almost exclusively on the benefits of social connections related to close social ties such as a spouse or an adult child," said co-author, Debra Umberson, sociology professor and director. from UT Austin's population research center. "This new research is based on truly innovative data that captures both the quantity and quality of contact with all types of people that older adults encounter during the day – and the results show that these routine encounters present important benefits for the level of activity and psychological well-being.This new information suggests the importance of policies and programs that support and encourage current and informal social participation. "

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The research was funded by the National Institute of Aging and the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Eunice Kennedy Shriver. Graduate student Meng Huo of the University of Texas at Austin and Susan T. Charles, professor of psychology at the University of California at Irvine, contributed to the study.