Press Release: European elderly: how are they? – Key Findings from an EU-funded Research database Unveiled

The second detailed results of a European survey of health, ageing and retirement in Europe (SHARE) were presented on 28 November, 2008. The EU’s Research Framework Programme awarded 5,8M€ over three years to the SHARE research project which collected data on life circumstances of around 35 000 European aged 50 and over in 15 countries, ranging from Scandinavia to the Mediterranean. Among the surprising results: Women live longer especially in South of Europe; but men are less sick, especially in the North; people in most Northern Europe eat less or the demise of the family is a myth. The main purpose of the survey was to provide accessible and reliable data to researchers and policy makers in the field of public health, economics and social sciences. Europe has the highest proportion of older citizens of any continent worldwide and the average age of Europeans will continue to increase.

European Commission: MEMO/08/752: European elderly: how are they? Key Findings from an EU-funded Research database Unveiled http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=MEMO/08/752&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en

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