People get happier as they get older, claims research

People get happier as they get older, according to researchers at Warwick University.

Researchers at Warwick Medical School at the university in Coventry looked at quality of life and health of a large sample of people in the UK and the USA.

They found that people had a better mental quality of life, another way of saying they are happier, as they get older. This was despite their health failing as they aged.

They also found that people who were overweight or obese were no less happy that people who were the right weight for their size.

Women in the USA weren’t affected by their lack of exercise. But men in the USA who didn’t exercise tended to feel unhappy.

The findings are in line with previous research at Warwick University. That found that people are happy until their 40s when they go through a period of unhappiness before being happy again in older age.

Dr Saverio Stranges of the Warwick Medical School worked with Dr Kandala Ngianga-Bakwin on the project.

Dr Stranges said: “It’s obvious that people’s physical quality of life deteriorates as they age but what is interesting is that their mental well being doesn’t also deteriorate – in fact it increases.”

I wonder how they worked that one out? Happier than what? They may be happier than younger people, but I don't know anyone who is happier at getting older.....

I'd like to see the results of the same survey in a few years' time when people under 65 no longer qualify for age or sickness-related benefits?