A Dutch study found men responding to an early retirement offer were 2.6 percentage points less likely to die over the next five years than those who did not retire early. An analysis in the U.S. found about seven years of retirement can be as good for health as reducing the chance of getting a serious disease by 20%. Positive health effects of retirement have also been found by studies using data from Israel, England, Germany and other EU countries. The Dutch study found half of the mortality reduction associated with retirement is attributable to cardiovascular and digestive system diseases. However, some studies find retirement associated with worse health and reduced longevity. One found that retirement raises the risk of cardiovascular disease and mortality. Another found higher risks of cardiovascular disease and cancer. But another such study found poor health outcomes were more pronounced among retirees who were unmarried, reduced their physical activity, and had less social interaction. Authors of this latter study pointed out it wasn't retirement itself that affects health, but what you do in retirement.
Santé de la population