Heavy carers aged 40 to 65 feel less healthy

Men and women aged 40 to 65 who spend eight hours or more a week caring (mantelzorg) rate their health lower than people of the same age who care for less time or not at all, CBS reports. The findings come from its 2023/2025 health surveys.

Most carers are 40 or older, and more women than men provide this care, CBS says. Among men aged 40 to 65 who do a lot of caring, 57% feel healthy, against 74% of those who do little or none. Among women the figures are 62% for heavy carers, 69% for those who do none and 72% for those who do relatively little.

Heavy carers aged 40 to 65 feel healthy less often

% feeling healthy

Heavy carers aged 40 to 65 feel healthy less often (% feeling healthy). Highest: Men, under 8 hours, 74.5; lowest: Men, 8 hours or more, 56.8; 6 items. Source: CBS.

View data

Data: Heavy carers aged 40 to 65 feel healthy less often

Item	% feeling healthy
Men, no care	73.9
Men, under 8 hours	74.5
Men, 8 hours or more	56.8
Women, no care	68.6
Women, under 8 hours	71.6
Women, 8 hours or more	62

Among people aged 65 or older, those who care for less than eight hours a week feel healthier than those who care for more. For men, 73% of limited carers rate their health as (very) good, against 60% of heavy carers. For women the figures are 69% and 61%.

Almost 41% of women aged 40 to 65 who do limited caring report feelings of anxiety or depression. That is fewer than among women who do a lot (55%) or none (47%). CBS finds a similar gap among women aged 65 or older. Among men there is no difference between those who do a little and none, but the share is higher among men aged 40 to 65 who do a lot of caring.

In both age groups, men and women who care for eight hours or more a week feel heavily burdened more often than those who care for less. Women aged 40 to 65 who do a lot of caring feel most burdened, at just over 46%.