People who enjoy life maintain their ability to take care of themselves, and they walk faster than those who rate their lives as less enjoyable, scientists reported Monday.
Feelings of happiness and enjoyment – a.k.a. positive affective well-being – have been associated with longer life and less heart disease and stroke. But the current study looked at decline of functions in daily life and disability as people age, and at the more objective measure of walking speed.
The study included 3,199 people 60 and older who are part of a long-term British study. The researchers wanted to know if two or more activities of daily living (dressing, feeding, etc.) were affected by the degree of enjoyment of life.
Two or more impaired activities were found to have developed over eight years among 4.4% of the people who scored high in enjoyment of life on a questionnaire; 11.7% of those who scored in the medium category; and 16.8% of those who scored low. A higher walking speed over eight years also was associated with enjoyment of life, the researchers said in the Canadian Medical Assn. Journal.
Photo credits: (Don Kelsen / Los Angeles Times)
