Baby boomers are living longer but in poorer health than previous generations at the same age, despite advances in medicine and greater awareness of healthy lifestyles, a global study shows.
Researchers found people in their 50s and 60s were more likely to have serious health problems than people born before or during World War II when they reached that age.
The results cannot be explained by people living longer, said experts at the University of Oxford and University College London (UCL). Obesitytype 2 diabetes, cancer, heart disease and other diseases have all affected people at younger ages.
Rates of disease and disability have increased over successive generations during the past century, according to findings published in the Journals of Gerontology.
The lead author, Laura Gimeno, from UCL, said there was a “generational health shift”, with younger generations tending to have poorer health than previous generations at the same age.
“Even with advances in medicine and greater public awareness of healthy living, people born since 1945 are at greater risk of chronic disease 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 major implications for government spending.”
Researchers analyzed health data for more than 100,000 people between 2004 and 2018, covering multiple generations of people aged 50 and over across England, the US and Europe.
They found increasing rates of chronic disease, especially when comparing people born between 1936 and 1945 and those born from 1955 to 1959.
Rates of chronic disease have risen over successive generations in all regions, with more recently born adults more likely to have cancer, lung disease, heart problems, type 2 diabetes and high cholesterol than their predecessors at the same age.
Although the incidence of type 2 diabetes rose at the same rate in all regions, diagnoses of cancer, heart problems and high cholesterol increased most in England and Europe, with baby boomers 1.5 times more likely to have these problems than their predecessors at the same age.
Levels of grip strength, a good measure of overall muscle strength and healthy aging, have declined over generations in England and the US, but have increased or remained constant in Europe.
Most people in post-war generations were as likely or more likely than their predecessors to struggle with tasks such as bathing, eating, walking short distances and shopping for groceries.
“Our study found new evidence that more recently born generations experience deteriorating health as they enter their later years,” Gimeno said.
“Despite the declining rates of disability for the prewar generations, chronic disease and increasing obesity may spill over into severe disability for the baby boomers.
“If life expectancy remains stable or continues to increase, these worrying trends could lead to younger generations spending more years in poor health and living with disability.”
