Retiring Early Just Might Kill You, Says New Research

We already know you’re better off financially the later you begin claiming Social Security. Now it seems there’s another reason to hold off on collecting those checks: If you retire early you’re more likely to die early as well.

A new study from Maria Fitzpatrick at Cornell University and Timothy Moore at the University of Melbourne shows a striking correlation between Social Security claims for early takers and a jump in mortality. This week’s economic research roundup also features a contrarian take on what drives unhealthy nutrition habits among poorer Americans and whether labor-market concentration is holding down wages in the U.S. Check this column each Tuesday for a survey of fresh studies from academia, agencies, think tanks and Wall Street.