Winston Churchill had painting, Judi Dench is famous for her rude embroidery and Tom Daley has been known to knit at the Olympics. Now researchers say we could all benefit from creative endeavours and that such pursuits have a bigger influence on life satisfaction than having a job.
While arts and crafts have long been used to aid mental health, experts said most research has looked at their effect on patients rather than the general population, and tend to look at specific activities.
However, the researchers have now said such interests could be an important tool for improving public health in general.
Dr Helen Keyes, a co-author of the research from Anglia Ruskin University, said: “It’s quite an affordable, accessible and ultimately popular thing for people to do. And that’s key. You’re not going to be shoving something down people’s throats that they don’t want to do.”
Writing in the journal Frontiers in Public Health, Keyes and colleagues reported how they analysed data from more than 7,000 people aged 16 or over who took part in the face-to-face “taking part…
