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The effect of retirement on weight
Sukyung Chung1, Marisa E Domino, Sally C Stearns
1Philip R. Lee Institute for Health Policy Studies, University of California, San Francisco, Palo Alto, CA 94301, USA. sukyung.chung@ucsf.edu
Summary
Retirement causes modest weight gain, especially for those who are overweight or in physically demanding jobs. However, aging itself has a greater impact on body mass index (BMI) changes in middle age.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Public Health
- Health Economics
Background:
- Older adults approaching retirement age exhibit high rates of weight gain and obesity.
- Understanding factors contributing to weight gain in this demographic is crucial for public health initiatives.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the causal effect of retirement on changes in body mass index (BMI).
- To examine how wealth status and occupation type modify the impact of retirement on BMI.
Main Methods:
- Utilized six panels from the Health and Retirement Study (1992-2002) with 37,807 participants aged 50-71.
- Employed fixed-effects regression models with instrumental variables to estimate the causal effect of retirement on BMI change.
Main Results:
- Retirement was associated with an average modest weight gain of 0.24 BMI units.
- Weight gain was more pronounced in individuals who were already overweight and those with lower wealth retiring from physically demanding occupations.
- The cumulative effect of aging between ages 50 and 60 (1.30 BMI gain) significantly outweighed the effect of retirement.
Conclusions:
- The population-level impact of retirement-associated weight gain on health outcomes and healthcare systems may be substantial.
- Targeted programs for older adults at higher risk of weight gain post-retirement warrant evaluation.
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