If you want to be happy in old age, go to church, but don’t volunteer for charities and don’t join any political parties.
A study of almost 10,000 people over the age of 50 has tried to discover the kind of social activities that made people less likely to be depressed.
Over four years, people across Europe were asked whether they engaged in voluntary work, education, sports and social clubs and political or religious organisations.
At the same time, they measured depressive symptoms — whether people were sleeping, had lost their appetite or had suicidal thoughts.
Past research has shown a link between religious observance and feeling happier, but researchers have not been able to establish the cause. Could it be, for instance, that a