Retirement Means More Time for Exercise

Source: Tufts University
June 20, 2002 (Reviewed: June 29, 2004)

Health experts are working hard to figure out why some people have no problem making exercise a regular part of their lives, while others never seem to fit it in. One reason many people offer is time - they simply don't have enough of it to accomplish everything they need to do in a day.

One of the many benefits of retirement is increased time for "leisure" activities, and researchers have found that indeed, activity does increase when people stop working. The results are published in the American Journal of Epidemiology.

Retirees exercised more than workers

Researchers from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill studied the exercise habits of more than 7,000 adults aged 45-64 over a 6-year period. At the beginning of the study, all of the participants were working, but some had retired by the time the study ended. The researchers wanted to see what effect, if any, retirement had on exercise habits.

The researchers found that participants who retired during the 6-year period were more likely to increase their physical activity than those who continued to work. And even those who were already exercising at the beginning of the study were more likely to maintain their exercise habits if they retired than if they continued working.

Time is just one reason for more exercise

While more time seems like the obvious reason that retirees are more likely to exercise than people still working, the researchers cite other potential reasons, including retirees' increased focus on health and well-being, as well as changes in their social networks and daily routines that may facilitate exercising more frequently.

TV watching also increased

While these results are certainly positive, the researchers also found that retirement brought with it an increase in another leisure activity: television watching. This may be because retirees simply had more time for all sorts of leisure activities - not just exercise.

Making the most of your extra time

If you're enjoying the less demanding schedule of retirement, now is a great time to make exercise a part of your life - or to try new activities if you're already an exerciser. Many retirees enjoy activities such as golf, tennis, gardening, brisk walking, and biking. Local senior centers, YMCAs, and fitness clubs also offer useful classes, such as water aerobics, yoga, and low-impact aerobic dance. There shouldn't be any more excuses!

Source

• Influence of retirement on leisure-time physical activity: The Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study. KR. Evenson, WD. Rosamond, J. Cai,  et al., American Journal of Epidemiology, 2002, vol. 155, pp. 692--699

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