Healthy Lifestyle

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People who live long lives have something in common: they eat well, move a lot, and like to socialize. A study says that those who lead seclusive lifestyles are more likely to age faster.

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A group of seniors clap their hands and dance to an exciting melody. They also play the ocarina together. They say that spending time together helps them relieve stress and feel less pain.

[Soundbite] Lee Young-ja(Seoul Resident) : "When I am at home, it's stifling and I feel sick all the time. But here I get to laugh a lot."

Those who spend little or no time hanging out with others tend to feel more lonely and even develop depression. Depression, in turn, undermines the immune system and physical activity, making the body frail overall. A study conducted by Ajou University Hospital on 1,200 seniors who are 70 years of age and older shows that people who spend little time with their friends age faster. Seniors who met their friends once a week were found to be 11 percent more likely to develop frailty syndrome than their peers who socialized on a daily basis. The risk surged by five-fold for those who socialized only once a month. Frailty syndrome is known to accelerate the aging process. Seniors affected by the syndrome tend to walk slowly due to low muscle tone, and experience severe fatigue.

[Soundbite] Prof. Kim Kwang-jun(Severance Hospital) : "People who meet with their friends or participate in social activities receive emotional support, which helps prevent depression and malnutrition. This way, they can live healthier lives."

Experts advise elderly people to participate in social activities to prevent aging, as human interaction stimulates the brain more than any other stimuli.