It's exhausting, time consuming and although it counts as physical activity, housework does not improve health or help to shed those excess pounds, British researchers said. Brisk walking is a much healthier option and a better way to keep fit than mopping floors, dusting and cleaning windows, particularly for older women between the ages of 60－79. In a survey of more than 2,300 elderly women in Britain, 10 percent said they enjoyed brisk walking, one percent did more than 2.5 hours of gardening a week and more than half reported doing heavy housework. But the researchers said although housework requires physical activity it does not seem to have any health benefits. Women in the survey who walked vigorously for 2.5 hours a week or did an equal amount of gardening were less likely to be obese and had a lower resting heart rate, which is a sign of physical fitness. Although housework requires effort, more research needs to be done on its long-term benefits before it can be included as a health-promoting activity. "It has been the subject of very little scientific study because most men don't do it, I suspect, and most science is done by men," said Dr. Shah Ebrahim, an epidemiologist and expert on aging at the University of Bristol.

英国研究者说，家务劳动既费时又累人，虽然也算是身体运动，却既无益于健康也无助于减除赘肉。与拖地、除尘和清洁窗户相比，快步走更有利于健康及保持体形，对60到79岁之间的老年妇女来说尤其如此。在对英国2,300多名老年妇女的调查当中，10%的人说自己喜欢快步走，1%每周做超过两个半小时的园艺，而报称担负着繁重家务的人则超过50%。但研究者们说，尽管家务劳动会使身体得到运动，但它似乎不能带来任何健康上的好处。在接受调查的妇女中，那些每周快步走两个半小时或做等量园艺劳动的人更不容易发福，静态心率也较低，这正是身体状况良好的标志。虽然家务劳动也耗费体力，但它在长期内的好处还有待进一步的研究证明，因此还不能说它是一种有益健康的活动，布里斯托尔大学的流行病学家及老年问题专家夏·埃布拉希姆博士说：“有关这一课题的科学研究少之又少，我想这是因为大多数男人都不做家务，而大多数科研工作都是由男人完成的。

Remarks：同许多其他事情一样，家务活是否有益健康取决于做这些事时的心情。我相信，美满家庭里的家务活一定是有益身心的。