Effect of Retirement on Eating Out and Weight Change: An Analysis of Gender Differences

TitleEffect of Retirement on Eating Out and Weight Change: An Analysis of Gender Differences
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2007
AuthorsChung, S, Popkin, BM, Domino, ME, Stearns, SC
JournalObesity
Volume15
Issue4
Pagination1053-60
Call Numbernewpubs20070501_Obesity1053.pdf
KeywordsConsumption and Savings, Demographics, Health Conditions and Status, Retirement Planning and Satisfaction
Abstract

OBJECTIVES: The objectives were to understand how the retirement decisions of older Americans influence household food consumption patterns by gender and, in turn, to examine the impact of the change in food consumption on weight. RESEARCH METHODS AND PROCEDURES: This study used five waves of the Health and Retirement Study (1992 to 2002; n=28,117). Participants were 50 to 71 years old during the study period. We used longitudinal regression analyses controlling for health events, spousal factors, socioeconomic factors, and individual fixed effects over time. RESULTS: Retirement of the individual and of his/her spouse reduced the individual's monthly spending on eating out by 10 and 7 on average, respectively, but did not change household spending on food at home. The wife's, but not the husband's, retirement decreased the spouse's spending on eating out by 13/mo. Spending on eating out was a significant but weak (0.003BMI/ ) predictor of weight gain. DISCUSSION: The decrease in spending on eating out after retirement, particularly women's, suggests that people eat out less when they have more time for food preparation at home. However, increases in other risks of weight gain with retirement, such as physical inactivity, could counteract the effects of eating out less.

Endnote Keywords

Consumption/Weight/RETIREMENT/GENDER-DIFFERENCES

Endnote ID

17400

Citation Key7141