Health benefits of shopping new study reveals
Monday, April 18th, 2011A recent study in the International Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health has shown a positive correlation between the number of times people shopped and their health. Men who shopped on a daily basis had a 28% greater probability of living longer while women’s probability increased by 23%.
The study suggests that men have better results due to the psychological benefits of increased interactions with other people and engagement with their community, which traditionally men are less likely to do. Social engagement leads to greater happiness, which plays a big part in longevity.
The study used data obtained from 1,841 elderly Taiwanese people taken between 1999-2000. To get a true perspective of the health benefits of shopping the data set included the frequency people shop as well as their physical, social and economic status and their cognitive functionality. As one would expect the younger people in the group shopped more often.
Many of the benefits derived from shopping come from getting around and being on the move. Given the size and geographic distribution of many retail outlets in the shopping centers, shoppers often have to travel greater distances to reach the desired shops.
Of course, shopping is not the only way to get these great benefits and you shouldn’t rely on this exclusively for your exercise.
An alternative solution to the documented benefits of companionship and exercise you get in a modern shopping center with all the artificial light, devoid of anything natural, is to go for walks outside of these environments. Although it’s great that shopping can provide the motivation to engage in some form of physical exercise it can also be expensive.
It is far better for your wallet if you get healthy by enjoying your local neighborhood. We live in a day and age where we have the most advanced apparel to manage every conceivable weather situation be it heavy rain, extreme heat or freezing temperatures. So there really isn’t any excuse for not getting outside and going for a gentle walk with your friends, family or neighbors – and not just to the shop!
Shopping has evolved into a leisure activity with the modern shopping center operators happy to encourage increased patronage with glitzy and surreal surroundings. While the old adage “retail therapy” can be a bit of tongue and cheek, one can argue that there are more health and psychological benefits that provide a cheaper option than the stimulus provided by these artificial environments.

