The Power of Hobbies: Boosting Mental Health in Older Adults

Engaging in hobbies is associated with lower levels of depression and higher levels of happiness, self-reported health, and life satisfaction among individuals aged 65 and above across 16 countries. The benefits of hobbies remained consistent across different national settings and were independent of factors such as partnership status, employment, and income. The study suggests a potential causal effect, although it was observational and could not prove causality. The proportion of people with hobbies varied between countries, with Spain having the lowest percentage and Denmark having the highest. The findings support the promotion of hobbies among older individuals to enhance their well-being and health.