London - Keeping fit may convince us that a healthier life is a longer one – but it could be making us miserable.
Those who fork out regular sums to attend keep fit classes or pay for expensive gym memberships are significantly unhappier than those who don’t, a report suggests.
Performing music also makes our lives more cheerless, according to a government study into wellbeing. The best way to achieve a positive effect on our contentment is to take part in activities such as dancing, swimming – and borrowing books at the library.
The findings, commissioned by ministers, rank different leisure activities based on what they mean to us in financial terms.
Dancing and swimming appear to give us such a boost that they are worth a salary rise of more than £1 600 (about R30 000) a year.
Going to the library is the equivalent of a £1 359 hike in pay.
But the level of unhappiness associated with fitness activities such as going to the gym was worth an annual pay cut of £1 318. Performing music is deemed the same as £1 248 less a year.
The report looked at a survey of 40 000 people who were asked about their participation in arts and sport and their level of “subjective wellbeing”.It concluded that there were “statistically significant” links between the two. Dance is associated with the happiest people, worth £1 671 a year, followed by swimming – with an effect worth £1 630.
While the report is happy to say that arts activities may be the cause of higher wellbeing, it rejects such a causal link when there is a negative association.
Exercise may be associated with lower life satisfaction because gyms are likely to be frequented by people who already feel bad about themselves over issues like their weight. “A similar story could be said of the other negative relationship between playing music and life satisfaction – ie the sad musician,” added the report.
The study was commissioned by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, which until recently was headed by expense claim scandal minister Maria Miller.
But campaigners have asked why so much was spent on research that does not even reach a conclusion – because it cannot prove a causal link between gym membership and unhappiness.
It also follows the much-derided work of the Office for National Statistics in measuring the well-being of the nation. - Daily Mail