Participating in hobbies and recreational pursuits appears to contribute to improved well-being and reduced depressive symptoms in older individuals, as indicated by an analysis of five extensive studies conducted across 16 countries.
More than 93,000 people with an average age between 71.7 and 75.9 years in the U.S., China, Japan and European countries were questioned about leisure activities and well-being for the research published in the scientific journal Nature Medicine in September.
The authors concluded that people who have hobbies feel better. The correlation was also independent of other factors such as relationship or employment status and household income.
The term "hobby" was used to describe activities that people do in their free time, alone or with others, for pleasure – for example, creating arts and crafts, reading, sports, gardening, volunteering, and being part of a club.
In terms of prevalence, there were sometimes large differences from country to country. More than 90% of the senior citizens surveyed in Germany said they had a hobby. In Italy, on the other hand, it was only 54% and in Spain 51%. The leader was Denmark, with 96%.
Different living conditions did not make a significant difference to the result. Countries with high rankings on the World Happiness Index and high life expectancy, such as Denmark, Sweden and Switzerland, also had high hobby activity, the authors explained. However, the association between hobby activity and psychological well-being was relatively consistent across countries, they said.
While the study does point to a correlation, it does not establish a causal link between taking up a leisure activity and better well-being.
As a result, it is not possible to infer with certainty whether hobbies make people happier and healthier or whether happier and healthier people are more likely to take up a hobby.
However, Sophie Wickham from the University of Liverpool, who was not involved in the analysis, commented that the results are convincing due to the robustness of the analysis.
A causal relationship can be assumed, she says and noted that the findings were particularly important given that global mental health is in crisis.
Depression is one of the most common causes of disability, with an estimated global economic cost of $2.5 trillion in 2010 and rising sharply.
Cost-effective solutions should be a priority, the researchers said, urging decision-makers around the world to reflect on the findings of this study that corroborates evidence that leisure activity benefits mental health.
The research team, led by Daisy Fancourt of University College London, believes its findings could have implications for developing programs to help older people access hobbies. Especially in aging societies, this is likely to be of great importance.