Adults of the baby boomer generation (born between 1946 and 1964) are now beginning to reach their sixties. While you might hope that increased affluence and awareness of health issues might make then less subject to disability than the previous generation – the reverse is true, according to a new study. In the 1980s and 1990s, it looked as if people were indeed getting healthier. But researchers at the University of California now reveal real concerns over the health and disability trends among the baby boomers.

They looked at data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES) in 1988-1994 and 1999-2004. Therefore they could compare the health, then and now, of people in the baby boomer group (aged 60-69) with those in older age groups (70-79 and 80 or more). Their wide-ranging analysis showed that average body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference both increased significantly, as did those with BMI over 30, indicating obesity. The trend to obesity was particularly marked among the baby boomers. There was also a marked increase in diabetes, asthma and arthritis, again most notably in the baby boomer group. All groups showed declines in their levels of physical activity.

The researchers say their findings are ‘sobering’ because it means baby boomers face a future where they will need to cope with multiple disabilities. The cost to themselves and to their families and society as a whole could be massive. There are several calls to action here. First, as we have noted previously, it is never to late to get some health benefits from starting to be more physically active, while adopting a healthy diet can lead to improvements in blood pressure and blood sugar, for instance. So baby boomers can start now to improve their health for future years. Second, we need to know more about why the health of baby boomers is worse than that of the previous generation. Obesity rates are one factor, demographic shift another – but this is not the whole story. And, finally, health policy makers must be prepared to act on these findings – which still need further confirmation – to set aside resources to support baby boomers’ health problems and also to educate the younger generation so they do not follow this disappointing health trend.
 

Source:

Seeman T et al Disability trends among older Americans: National Health and Nutrition Surveys, 1988-1994 and 199-2004 American Journal of Public Health. Published ahead of print November 12 2009 as 10.2105/AJPH.2008.157388
 

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