Well-being among 50-year-old people. The population study "50-year-old people in Kungsör"

Self-assessed well-being has been shown to be related to earlier medical events and to be a predictor of mortality. 50-year-old men and women (n = 314) in Kungsör were invited to an examination for traditional risk factors for cardiovascular diseases and different aspects of self-assessed well-being. The differences between men and women concerning their well-being could not explain the differences in the expected mortality between the sexes. A well-developed social network and physical exercise were the most positive determinants of well-being, while drug intake, angina pectoris, and smoking were the most negative.