Being healthy can make a person happy, but happiness itself may also lead to better health, according to a new study, Fox News reports.

Researchers found that people who enjoy life tend to maintain better physical function than those who don't in daily activities as they age.

The study included more than 3,000 people age 60 and older living in England, and followed them for eight years. The study participants reported how much they enjoyed life by rating statements such as "I enjoy the things that I do," and "I enjoy being in the company of others."

Using in-person interviews, the researchers examined whether participants experienced impairments in their daily activities, such as getting out of bed, getting dressed or bathing. They also gauged participants' walking speed with a gait test.

The results showed that happier people maintained better physical function as they aged.

The unhappiest people in the study were about 80 percent more likely to develop impairments in daily functions, compared with the happiest, according to the study published Jan. 20 in the Canadian Medical Association Journal.

The researchers also found that happier people's walking speed declines at a slower rate than those who enjoy life less," said Andrew Steptoe, director of Institute of Epidemiology and Health Care at University College London.

The results also showed that the study participants with higher economic status and education, and those who were married and working, had higher levels of wellbeing.

As expected, poor health was linked to lower levels of happiness: People with chronic illnesses such as heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, stroke and depression reported lower levels of enjoyment of life.