Transition to retirement impact on food consumption frequency: results from a longitudinal analysis within the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE)

Objectives: It has been suggested that major life course transitions, such as retirement, can greatly impact lifestyles. However, the evidence is scant and inconclusive, especially with reference to the effects on dietary habits. We investigated the long-term effects of retirement on the frequency of food consumption using data from the Survey of Health, Ageing, and Retirement in Europe (SHARE). Design and participants: We used data from a SHARE-based cohort, including European individuals from 28 countries aged 50 and older who were employed at baseline and retired during follow-up time (2004-2020). Measurements: Dietary habits were assessed through self-reported frequencies of consumption for fruit and vegetables, dairy products, meat and fish, legumes and eggs. A dietary score (dichotomised as ≥5 or <5) was also estimated. Generalised estimating equation models calculated relative risks (RR) of daily (for fruit, vegetables and dairy products) and 3-6 times per week (for meat, fish, legumes and eggs) consumptions before and after retirement, adjusting for selected variables. Results: The cohort included 8,998 individuals with a mean follow-up time of 9 years. Baseline daily consumption frequencies were 73.7% for fruit and vegetables and 65.9% for dairy products, while 3-6 times per week frequencies were 39.8% for meat and fish and 26.1% for legumes and eggs. An increase in 3-6 times a week consumption of meat and fish (RR 1.07, 95% CI 1.01-1.13) and legumes and eggs (RR 1.09, 95% CI 1.01-1.17) was observed 10 or more years post-retirement. Daily consumption of fruit and vegetables, and dairy products remained stable. The RR of a dietary score ≥5 post-retirement was 1.11 (95% CI 1.06-1.16, 10 or more years after). Conclusions: Retirement positively appears to influence overall dietary habits, particularly by improving the consumption frequency of protein-rich foods, while the stability in fruit, vegetables, and dairy consumption suggests that well-established habits persist despite life transitions.