Taking part in activities such as readingand dancing is significantly associated with good health, a report has found.
Those who participate in culture and sport, or visit places such as the cinema, museums or libraries, are more likely to report being in good health and satisfied with their life, a Scottish Government study suggests.
The research, the first of its kind in Scotland, revealed those who had been at a cultural event or place such as visiting the cinema or going to a concert in the last year are almost 60% more likely to report being in good health than those who had not done so.
People who visited a museum are 20% more likely to say they are in good health than those who had not.
For theatre-goers, a bigger impact is suggested, with those who had been in the last year 25% more likely to report being in good health than those who had not.
The research is based on figures from the Scottish Household Survey which found that, in 2011, 87% of adults had either visited a cultural place or taken part in a cultural activity.
