無藤隆

本を読むことは知的な活動を活発にして寿命を延ばすという可能性が示された。
 次の論文。
 要約の要約を訳すと下記だが。今後の検証がさらに必要だろう。読書が知的活動と相関することは明らかだから、その全体的効果なのか。それがもたらす健康維持行動の故なのか。(個人的注:運動が健康によくて、死亡リスクを減少させることは分かっているので、一日中、私のように本を読んでいればよいのではないと思う。)
 12年間の追跡調査で、本を読む人は読まない人に比べて20%死亡のリスクを減らすことが見出された。
・本を読むことは高齢者において長生きの有利さをもたらす。
・本を読むことは新聞や雑誌を読むことより長生きに寄与する。
・本を読むことの長生きへの有利に働くのは認知的媒介変数を通してである。
・本はジェンダー、経済的豊かさ、教育水準、健康などを統制してもなおかつ有益である。
Social Science & Medicine
Volume 164, September 2016, Pages 44–48
A chapter a day: Association of book reading with longevity
Avni Bavishi, Martin D. Slade, Becca R. Levy,
Highlights
•Book reading provides a survival advantage among the elderly (HR = 0.80, p < 0.0001).
•Books are more advantageous for survival than newspapers/magazines.
•The survival advantage of reading books works through a cognitive mediator.
•Books are protective regardless of gender, wealth, education, or health.
Abstract
Although books can expose people to new people and places, whether books also have health benefits beyond other types of reading materials is not known. This study examined whether those who read books have a survival advantage over those who do not read books and over those who read other types of materials, and if so, whether cognition mediates this book reading effect. The cohort consisted of 3635 participants in the nationally representative Health and Retirement Study who provided information about their reading patterns at baseline. Cox proportional hazards models were based on survival information up to 12 years after baseline. A dose-response survival advantage was found for book reading by tertile (HRT2 = 0.83, p < 0.001, HRT3 = 0.77, p < 0.001), after adjusting for relevant covariates including age, sex, race, education, comorbidities, self-rated health, wealth, marital status, and depression. Book reading contributed to a survival advantage that was significantly greater than that observed for reading newspapers or magazines (tT2 = 90.6, p < 0.001; tT3 = 67.9, p < 0.001). Compared to non-book readers, book readers had a 23-month survival advantage at the point of 80% survival in the unadjusted model. A survival advantage persisted after adjustment for all covariates (HR = .80, p < .01), indicating book readers experienced a 20% reduction in risk of mortality over the 12 years of follow up compared to non-book readers. Cognition mediated the book reading-survival advantage (p = 0.04). These findings suggest that the benefits of reading books include a longer life in which to read them.

読書好きにうれしい情報。
おいら、子どもたちの寿命を伸ばしています。