Health situation and related social conditions among 66-year-old Finnish men

The aims of the study were to reveal the extent of physical activity, nutritional habits, smoking and alcohol consumption and the relation of these to previous occupation among recently retired men. The number of men belonging to various health risk groups was estimated on the basis of the results. About 10% had inadequate nutritional habits as judged from their food expenses and number of daily hot meals and about 20% practised physical exercise in the way which is considered necessary for the improvement of cardiovascular performance and maximal oxygen uptake. Only a small minority had been requested to undertake physical exercise. About 18% lived alone. The problems were more pronounced among the men retired from manual occupations compared with men whose main occupation had been of a sedentary nature. The results indicate that a considerable proportion of elderly men would need more advice and more adequate services in order to improve their daily living habits. Any such measures should preferably be started before retirement as the living habits adopted during the earlier periods of life seem to remain unchanged in old age. The results are based on an interview study carried out among 137 66-year-old men representing about 90% of the men of that age group living in Jyväskylä, a town of 60000 inhabitants in Central Finland.