Hobbies linked to lower depression levels among older people

decorative Having a hobby is linked to fewer depressive symptoms and higher levels of happiness, self-reported health and life satisfaction among people aged 65 and over, and this holds true across 16 countries on three continents, according to a new study led by UCL researchers. The study, published in the journal Nature Medicine , aimed to see if the benefits of hobbies were consistent in different national settings, and looked at data from 93,263 people aged 65 or over who had enrolled in five existing longitudinal studies in England, Japan, United States, China and 12 other European countries. Analysing data from participants spanning four to eight years, the researchers found that having a hobby was also linked to subsequent decreases in depressive symptoms and increases in happiness and life satisfaction, suggesting there might be a causal effect, although as an observational study it could not prove causality. These results remained after adjusting for other factors such as partnership status, employment and household income. The study found the benefits of having a hobby were relatively universal, with only small differences between countries. Lead author Dr Karen Mak (UCL Institute of Epidemiology & Health Care) said: "Our study shows the potential of hobbies to protect older people from age-related decline in mental health and wellbeing. This potential is consistent across many countries and cultural settings.