Obesity, Depression, and Employment Related Outcomes Among Workers Near Retirement
Abstract
Obese individuals with comorbid depression face greater risks of atrophied health status alongside the associated adverse consequences, such as limitations of daily living and/or work related activities. This study uses the U. S. Health and Retirement Study database to investigate the likelihood of early retirement decisions (before age 62) of older working-age adults (ages 50 to 62). We find that obese subjects with comorbid depression are significantly more likely to reduce work-hours and seek early retirement. Survival models confirm the negative association between obesity with comorbid depression and the duration to early retirement. The bidirectional association between obesity and depression suggest that more carefully designed public policy interventions are necessary for improving the labor market attachments of the older working-age adults that are obese and clinically depressed. © 2011 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC.
Publication Title
Ageing International
Recommended Citation
Karakus, M., & Okunade, A. (2012). Obesity, Depression, and Employment Related Outcomes Among Workers Near Retirement. Ageing International, 37 (2), 238-253. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12126-010-9107-7
