Aims:

Leisure activity helps people engage with life, and it promotes health and well-being as we age. This study investigated whether individuals with active jobs (high psychological demands, high control) in mid-life were more active during leisure time in old age compared with those with less active jobs.

Methods:

Two individually linked Swedish surveys were used (N=776) with 23 years of follow-up. Data were analysed with logistic regression.

Results:

Having an active job in mid-life was associated with greater engagement in intellectual/cultural, social and physical activity in old age, even when leisure activity in mid-life was taken into account.

Conclusions:

The results suggest that active jobs in mid-life may be replaced by active leisure during retirement. Active job conditions may promote engagement in society in old age, which in turn may have positive health consequences.