Baby boomers living longer ‘but in poorer health than previous generations’

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Louise Thomas

Editor

Baby boomers are living longer but are in poorer health than previous generations, and things are not improving, researchers say.

A new study discovered those in their 50s and 60s are more likely to experience serious health problems than people at the same stage who were born during or before the Second World War.

The results cannot just be explained by people living longer – obesity, diabetes and other chronic diseases all seem to be affecting people at younger ages.

Previous research has also pointed separately to poor mental health as a driver for overall worse health.

For the new study, researchers from University College London (UCL) and the University of Oxford found that rates of chronic disease, obesity and disability increased across successive generations during the 20th century.

Their new study, published in the Journals of Gerontology, found more recently born adults were more likely to have cancer, lung disease, heart problems, diabetes, and high cholesterol as they enter their 50s and 60s.

Lead author, Laura Gimeno, from UCL’s centre for longitudinal studies, said: “We find that there is a generational health drift, whereby younger generations tend to have worse health than previous generations at the same age.

“Even with advances in medicine and greater public awareness about healthy living, people born since 1945 are at greater risk of chronic illness and disability than their predecessors.

“With up to a fifth of the population in high-income western nations now over 65, increasing demands for health and social care will have huge implications on government spending.”

For the research, data on multiple generations of people aged 50 and above were studied, covering England, the US and Europe.

Researchers analysed data for more than 100,000 people between 2004 and 2018, looking at doctor-diagnosed chronic illnesses, body mass index, records on mobility issues and disability, as well as grip strength and high blood pressure.

The report’s authors separated people in the study into five groups defined by their birth year.

They found increasing rates of chronic disease, especially when comparing people born between 1936 and 1945 and those born 1955 to 1959.

Rates of chronic disease rose across successive generations in all regions, with more recently born adults more likely to have cancer, lung disease, heart problems, diabetes, and high cholesterol than their predecessors at the same age.

Although prevalence of diabetes rose at the same rate across all regions, diagnoses of cancer, heart problems and high cholesterol increased the most in England and Europe, with baby boomers being 1.5 times more likely to have these issues than their predecessors at the same age.

In another example, levels of grip strength, which is a good measure of overall muscle strength and healthy aging, decreased across generations in England and the US, but either increased or remained constant in Europe.

And in most regions, post-war generations were just as likely or more likely than their predecessors to report difficulties with tasks such as bathing and eating, walking short distances and shopping for groceries.

Baby boomers in the UK were nearly one-and-a-half times more likely to experience difficulties performing three or more personal care tasks compared to their earlier born peers at the same age.

Miss Gimeno said: “Our study finds concerning new evidence that more recently born generations are experiencing worsening health as they enter their later years.

“Despite declining rates of disability for the pre-war generations, chronic disease and increasing obesity may be spilling over into severe disability for the baby boomers.

“If life expectancy remains stable or continues to increase, these worrying trends may see younger generations spending more years in poor health and living with disability.”