With baby boomers making up nearly one third of the population, they have long had the reputation of a generation that takes control of their health.
However, according to a new study featured on News.Health.com, the 78 million people born from the mid-1940s to mid-1960s, are far from healthy.
“The study was conducted at the West Virginia University School of Medicine in Morgantown and appeared earlier this month in the The Journal of the American Medical Association.”
Its findings were that “medical advances have led to the longest life expectancy ever, but U.S. baby boomers have higher rates of chronic disease, more disability and lower self-rated health than did their parents at a comparable age.”
In a related article on MedCityNews.com, study author, Dr. Dana King said, "The baby boomer generation has a reputation of being active and putting off retirement.”
As a fitness professional, I see daily the effects this generation has had on this industry. There have been many programs implemented to help preserve their health and wellbeing.
But it seems according to the above-mentioned research that more work still needs to be done in terms of education and accountability on behalf of the members of this generation. Dr. King says that they’re seeing increasing rates of chronic diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure and obesity.
The study compared the health of baby boomers to their parents at the same age and looked at specific surveys focusing on health and nutrition. The study’s findings were as follows:
“Overall, about 39 percent of boomers were obese, compared to about 29 percent of the previous generation. Baby boomers were also less likely to get regular exercise.”
The percentages of those with diabetes were about 4 percent higher than their parents. Higher percentages were also found in both the high cholesterol and high blood pressure realms.
Perhaps an even more debilitating finding of this generation are the statistics reported by Dr. King and his associates that “more than twice as many baby boomers walk with a cane or walker, compared to the previous generation.”
It was not all doom and gloom, however, for this boomer-related study. According to News.Health.com, “Boomers have lower rates of heart attack and emphysema, and are less likely to smoke cigarettes, the study reported.”
Dr. Nancy Copperman, a registered dietician told the site that obesity plays a role in the health conditions that is affecting the boomer generation. The boomer generation during their lifetime has seen an evolution of a convenient lifestyle and more sedentary occupations as a population.
Dr. King is quoted as saying that “sitting” may be a partial reason this generation is not moving as much as the previous one. He says, “Fifty percent were getting moderate physical activity 12 times a month, while just 35 percent of baby boomers got that much exercise.”
Online References:
“Baby Boomers’ health worse than past generation’s – By Andrew M. Seamen – MedCityNews.com.” Web. 19 Feb. 2013.
http://medcitynews.com/2013/02/baby-boomers-health-worse-than-past-generations/#ixzz2LJezCXt7
“Baby Boomers’ Health a Bust Compared to Parents - By Barbara Bronson Gray – NewsHealth.com.” Health Magazine. Web. 19 Feb. 2013.
http://news.health.com/2013/02/06/boomers-health-fails-to-measure-up-to-parents/
Joanne Sgro-Killworth is a Television Fitness Expert, Certified Personal Trainer and Sport Nutritionist. She is Certified in Pilates, Pre-natal/Post-Partum, Yoga and Senior Fitness. She specializes in Weight Loss, Post-Rehab and Post Cancer Training.
Joanne's fitness plans and recipes are available globally on her website www.fitnessanswer.com/ She resides in the Phoenix, AZ area with her husband and son, where she runs her personal training business, Fitness Answer, LLC.
Reviewed February 19, 2013
by Michele Blacksberg RN
Edited by Jody Smith