新奇事件簿 当志愿者助延长寿命（在线收听）

Volunteering can make you happier and help you live longer, according to a new study. A research paper published on Friday in the journal BMC Public Health says doing good deeds for others boosts your mental health and increases your longevity. Researchers from the UK's University of Exeter reviewed 40 academic papers into the effects of volunteerism on our health. They found that volunteers had lower rates of depression, an increased sense of well-being, and a 22 per cent reduction in the chances of dying within the next seven years. Australians lead the way in volunteering, with an estimated 36 per cent of the population lending a hand.

一项新的研究显示，参加志愿活动会让你感到更加幸福，并有助延长寿命。周五，在期刊《BMC Public Health》上发表的一份研究论文称助人为乐将有助身心健康，延长寿命。来自英国埃克塞特大学的研究人员就参加志愿活动对健康的影响调查了40份学术论文。他们发现当志愿者将降低患抑郁症的几率，提高幸福感，未来7年内的死亡几率降低22%。在参加志愿活动方面，澳大利亚人一马当先，预计有36%的澳大利亚人口会参加志愿活动。

Lead researcher Dr Suzanne Richards said: "Our systematic review shows that volunteering is associated with improvements in mental health, but more work is needed to establish whether volunteering is actually the cause." She added: "It is still unclear whether biological and cultural factors and social resources that are often associated with better health and survival are also associated with a willingness to volunteer in the first place." In a separate study from the University of Michigan, researchers suggested three reasons why volunteering may be beneficial. First, it involves physical activity; second, the social connections we make help to reduce our stress; and third, it gives us a deep sense of happiness.

研究带头人苏珊娜·理查德博士称：“根据我们的系统评估，志愿活动与提高心理健康有关，但是志愿活动是否是提高心理健康的真正原因还需要进一步证明。”她还称：“生物与文化因素，以及通常与生存和健康有关的社会资源，这些是否与愿意参加志愿活动有关还不得而知。”一项来自密西根大学的独立研究中，研究人员认为参加志愿活动的好处有三点。首先，可以锻炼身体；第二，社会联系帮助我们减压；第三，让我们获得幸福感。