Growing older and being overweight are not necessarily associated with a decrease in mental well-being, according to a cross-cultural study looking at quality of life and health status in the US and the UK.

The study, led by Warwick Medical School at the University of Warwick, analysed lifestyle and health patterns in more than 10,000 people in both countries and their links to participants’ mental and physical quality of life and health status.

Quality of life was evaluated using a measure which takes in eight different factors including perception of general health, pain, social functioning and mental health.

The researchers found that people reported better mental quality of life as they age, despite a decrease in physical quality of life.

This is in line with previous research, for example by Professor Andrew Oswald, also at the University of Warwick, which suggests that happiness levels follow a U-shape curve with their lowest point in the mid-40s after which they rise as people move into older age.

Supportive results were found in this cross-cultural comparison study in the UK and US – two countries which have different welfare and health-care systems, factors which could impact on people’s quality of life. [continue reading…]