Midlife cardiovascular health factors as predictors of retirement age, work-loss years, and years spent in retirement among older businessmen

• Published in: Scientific reports 2023-10, Vol.13 (1), p.16526-16526, Article 16526
• Main Authors: Haapanen, Markus J., Törmäkangas, Timo, von Bonsdorff, Monika E., Strandberg, Arto Y., Strandberg, Timo E., von Bonsdorff, Mikaela B.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 692/308/174; 692/4019/592; 692/499; Age; Alcohol use; Body mass index; Cardiovascular diseases; Humanities and Social Sciences; Medicin och hälsovetenskap; Middle age; multidisciplinary; Physical fitness; Risk factors; Science; Science (multidisciplinary); Survival; Triglycerides
• ISSN: 2045-2322; 2045-2322
• DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-43666-x

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is one of the leading causes of premature retirement. However, the relationship between CVD risk factors and workforce participation is not well known. We studied the relationship between midlife CVD risk, age at retirement, work-loss years, and survival in retirement. Middle-aged Finnish men (initial n = 3490, mean age = 47.8 years) were assessed for CVD risk factors and general health in the 1970s. They worked as business executives and provided information on their retirement status in the year 2000. Survival was followed up to the 9th decade of life with a follow-up of up to 44 years. Work-loss years were calculated as death or retirement occurring at age ≤ 65 years. Smoking, body mass index, and alcohol use were used as covariates, excluding models of CVD risk, which were adjusted for alcohol use only. Higher risk of 10-year fatal CVD was associated with 0.32 more years (relative risk