NEW YORK (NYT NEWS SERVICE ).- Numerous studies have shown that art and music can help soothe chronic pain, stave off symptoms of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, and accelerate brain development in young children.

Now, there is evidence that simply being exposed to the arts may help people live longer.

Researchers in London who followed thousands of people 50 and older for 14 years discovered that those who went to a museum or attended a concert just once or twice a year were 14% less likely to die during that period than those who didn’t.

The chances of living longer only went up the more frequently people engaged with the arts, according to the study, which was published this month in The BMJ, formerly The British Medical Journal. People who went to a museum or the theater once a month or even every few months had a 31% reduced risk of dying in that period, according to the study.

The study controlled for socioeconomic factors like a participant’s income, education level and mobility, said Andrew Steptoe, a co-author of the study and the head of University College London’s research department of behavioral science and health.

“We know that a sense of purpose in life is important,” Steptoe said. “Being involved and excited by the arts keeps and maintains your purpose in life.”

The study also noted that engaging in the arts can reduce loneliness, promote empathy and emotional intelligence, and keep people from becoming sedentary — all factors that contribute to a longer life.

Art and theater advocates said they hoped the research would encourage restoration of arts and music programs that have been cut from schools around the country.

“So much of that has been destroyed,” said Heather A. Hitchens, chief executive of the American Theater Wing, which funds a wide range of productions and programs. “Too often, the arts are seen as this frill, but they really do play an essential role in our lives.”

Advocates said the study was also a reminder of how critical it is for the arts to be more accessible to Americans of all incomes.

Gabriella Souza, a spokeswoman for the Walters Art Museum in Baltimore, said the study’s results were not surprising: “In terms of finding peace and tranquility in galleries, that is one of the reasons people come to our museums.”

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