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By Jennifer Thomas
HealthDay Reporter

The secret to a healthier retirement may be surprising: work.

Retirees who continue to work in some capacity, even part-time, are less likely to experience physical decline and disease, new U.S. research suggests.

Using data from the national Health and Retirement Study, researchers analyzed six years of information on the health, finances and employment status of over 12,000 men and women between the ages of 51 and 61 in 1992.

Compared to those who quit working altogether, those who described themselves as officially retired but who continued to work part-time or in temp jobs were less likely to be diagnosed with eight diseases: high blood pressure, diabetes, cancer, lung disease, heart disease, stroke, psychiatric problems and arthritis.

Those who worked at least part-time also were less likely to show signs of functional decline, or inability to perform the activities of daily living, including walking across a room, getting in and out of bed, dressing, eating and bathing.

The findings held true even after controlling for age, sex, financial status, education level and physical and mental health before retirement, according to the study in the October issue of the Journal of Occupational Health Psychology.

"There are tons of reasons why working is good for you," said study co-author Mo Wang, an associate professor in the department of psychology at the University of Maryland. "When you work, you have a daily structure. You may do more physical activity. Working provides financial resources, social context, opportunities to interact and to learn new skills. Working can also be good for self-esteem and nurturing a sense of identity."

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