Health

Here's to boomers' health

By TIMES STAFF
Published March 27, 2007

Americans in their early to mid 50s report poorer health, more pain and more trouble doing everyday tasks than their older peers did when they were in their 50s.

Researchers compared the self-reported health of people in three groups - those born in 1936-41 (who now are ages 66-71), 1942-47 (now ages 60-65) and 1948-53 (now ages 54-59). Their answers were in a federal survey of more than 20,000 Americans over age 50. For this new comparison, only information was used that had been reported when all the respondents were between 51 and 56.

The new study showed:

- The two younger groups were less likely than the oldest group to have said their health was "excellent or very good" at 51 to 56 years of age.

- The youngest group reported having more pain, chronic health conditions, and drinking and psychiatric problems.

- Compared with the oldest group, the youngest group was more likely to have reported difficulty in walking, climbing steps, getting up from a chair, kneeling or crouching.

This new analysis raises the question of whether today's pre-retirees could reach retirement age in worse physical shape than their predecessors, thus possibly increasing national health care costs.

In the past two decades, there has been a dramatic decline in disability among people 65 and older. One recent report of this trend, for example, found that the prevalence of chronic disability among people 65 and older fell from 26.5 percent in 1982 to 19 percent in 2004-05.

The physical condition of the boomers is critical in planning for health, housing and other needs.

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Aging and health

For more information on research and aging, go to www.nia.nih.gov. Publications on research and on a variety of topics of interest on health and aging can be viewed and ordered by visiting that site or by calling (301) 496-1752 or toll-free 1-800-222-2225.

[Last modified March 27, 2007, 07:27:32]