Abstract
BackgroundRetirement is a life-course transition likely to affect, through different mechanisms, behavioural risk factors’ patterns and, ultimately, health outcomes. We assessed the impact of transitioning to retirement on lifestyle habits and perceived health status in a nationwide cohort of Italian adults.MethodsWe analysed data from a large cohort of Italian adults aged 55–70, derived from linking six waves of the Participation, Labour, Unemployment Survey (PLUS), a national survey representative of the Italian workforce population, conducted between 2010 and 2018. We estimated relative-risk ratios (RRR) of transition to retirement and their corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for selected behavioural risk factors and health outcomes using multivariable logistic regression models. We used propensity score matching (PSM) to account for potential confounders.ResultsWe included 5169 subjects in the study population, of which 1653 retired between 2010 and 2018 (exposed, 32%). Transition to retirement was associated with a 36% increased probability of practising sports (RRR 1.36, 95% CI 1.12–1.64). No statistically significant changes were reported for smoking habit (current smoker RRR: 1.18, 95% CI 0.94–1.46) and BMI (overweight/obese RRR: 0.96, 95% CI 0.81–1.15). Overall, retiring was associated with improved self-rated health status (RRR 1.26, 95% CI 1.02–1.58).ConclusionIndividual data-linkage of multiple waves of the PLUS can offer great insight to inform healthy ageing policies in Italy and Europe. Transition to retirement has an independent effect on perceived health status, physical activity and selected behavioural risk factors. It should be identified as a target moment for preventive interventions, with particular reference to primary prevention so as to promote health and wellbeing in older ages.
Highlights
The world population is rapidly ageing as a result of increasing life expectancy and low fertility, with a faster pace in high-income countries and massive societal impact
With the general aim of contributing to fill the gaps in knowledge on the changes in health and lifestyles when transitioning to retirement, we investigated the impact of retirement on behavioural risk factors and perceived health in a large cohort of Italian adults
We focused on the following primary outcomes, related to perceived health and behavioural risk factors’ distribution at Time1, as compared to Time0: rate of change in self-rated health status and physical functioning, Body Mass Index (BMI), smoking habit, and physical activity
Summary
The world population is rapidly ageing as a result of increasing life expectancy and low fertility, with a faster pace in high-income countries and massive societal impact. As pension reforms across the world attempt to adapt to the ongoing demographic transition and research aims to evaluate their impact on health and welfare, a key fact is that people live long years after retirement compared to the past. Retirement itself is a life-course transition likely to affect behavioural risk factors’ patterns and health after retirement. Previous research has explored how the transition to retirement modifies selected lifestyle habits, including social networks, smoking [2], alcohol consumption [2], dietary patterns and physical activity [3,4,5], as well as physical and mental health parameters [6,7,8]; the available evidence is not conclusive [9, 10]. Retirement is a life-course transition likely to affect, through different mechanisms, behavioural risk factors’ patterns and, health outcomes. We assessed the impact of transitioning to retirement on lifestyle habits and perceived health status in a nationwide cohort of Italian adults
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