Studies: Baby Boomers Less Healthy Than Their Parents

By Jeralyn, Section Off Topic
Posted on Fri Apr 20, 2007 at 01:03:00 AM EST
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Off-topic perhaps, but it's Friday and I'm sick of all the crime news this week.

In today's Washington Post:

Data shows that baby boomers are less healthy than their parents. Hard to believe with all our focus on gyms, health food and quitting smoking, but these are the facts:

Boomers are healthier in some important ways -- they are much less likely to smoke, for example -- but large surveys are consistently finding that they tend to describe themselves as less hale and hearty than their forebears did at the same age. They are more likely to report difficulty climbing stairs, getting up from a chair and doing other routine activities, as well as more chronic problems such as high cholesterol, blood pressure and diabetes.

One explanation:

"People are working two jobs. They are not sleeping as much. They're experiencing more job insecurity. They have less time to take care of themselves. They are more socially isolated," said Lisa Berkman of the Harvard School of Public Health. "This all could add up to a huge crisis and really calls for us to examine the things that perhaps we're not doing so well."

So, we may look ten years younger than our parents did at our age, but apparently, we're in worse health.

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Studies: Baby Boomers Less Healthy Than Their Parents | 62 comments (62 topical)

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Our food chain (5.00 / 1) (#2)
by Che's Lounge on Fri Apr 20, 2007 at 02:06:17 AM EST

is poisoned.

Exactly (5.00 / 1) (#3)
by Peaches on Fri Apr 20, 2007 at 09:17:54 AM EST

Our health starts from the soil and we've flushed most of it away and poisened the rest.


Not just food supply - our whole daily environment (5.00 / 1) (#4)
by Edger on Fri Apr 20, 2007 at 10:03:00 AM EST

Less than half of the 38,000 high production volume chemicals [39b] have been tested for toxicity. Very few of the 87,000 chemicals in commercial use have been tested at all. And almost none of the more than 3 million registered chemicals have been tested. And less than that have been tested in combinations found in our everyday lives.
...
Infants sleep in cribs made of plastic, covered with synthetic sheets that are treated with fire-retardant, and washed in harsh detergents containing toxic many synthetic chemicals. Sheets are dried at high temperature creating dioxin from the chlorine bleach residue.[40b] The mattress cover's flexibility is from plasticizers and it's treated with an antibacterial agent. The room's new synthetic carpeting and freshly painted walls offgass toxins. Snugly fitting disposable diapers contain toxic ingredients such sodium polyacrylates, and ethylvinylacetate-based glues, resins, softening agents and antioxidants.[40c] The lotion their precious bottoms are covered with contains phthalates, which are known to mimic hormones. A fluoride supplement is prescribed if drinking water is from a well. The water itself could be high in nitrates and coliform.[40d]

Their food has been drenched in a variety of pesticides, herbicides, and fungicides, then wrapped in plastics, coated with sealants, or canned. It's heated in, eaten from and eaten with plastic. Warm leftovers are saved in plastic and refrigerated.[40e] The health effects of few of the constituent chemicals of plastics are known, but their collective effect is completely unknown. The FDA interestingly calls chemicals that migrate from plastic into food "indirect food additives."
...
Most people assume that products they use daily have been thoroughly tested and are safe. Our deep-seated trust in the safety of these products is misplaced and has allowed the fox to enter the henhouse. There is no pre-market safety testing or approval required under any federal law for the hundreds of items infants come in contact with daily.

What are Endocrine Disruptors?


: edger, thanks for an excellent reference (none / 0) (#62)
by conchita on Sat Apr 21, 2007 at 12:12:30 AM EST

btw, where were you when i needed you the other night.

Now improved with melamine (none / 0) (#46)
by Alien Abductee on Fri Apr 20, 2007 at 04:17:06 PM EST

It's not just for pets any more!

The contaminated gluten was fed to hogs.

It remains unclear, however, whether products made from the hogs will be considered safe for human consumption

The FDA is still trying to get its act together to give an answer on that one.


My mother-in-law doesn't get buying organic. (none / 0) (#48)
by lilybart on Fri Apr 20, 2007 at 04:29:28 PM EST

She thinks it is a waste, but I remind her that when she was young the food was not poisoned, animals were grown on family farms and raised without hormones and anitbiotics, and fish didn't contain high levels of mercury.

HIgh fructose corn syrup and trans fats are killing us. And portion sizes used to be much smaller.

People used to be much smaller too, and that is a BIG reason so many don't feel energetic---they are FAT.


Let me clarify.. (5.00 / 1) (#47)
by Che's Lounge on Fri Apr 20, 2007 at 04:25:13 PM EST

S.T.U.P.I.D!

Stupidity induced by laziness. 50 million spoiled brats ("Mommy mommy, they're sitting on my oil!"). Useful idiots who's entire social/political perceptions are enemized to them 24/7 by Fox News. Don't like the word? Boo hoo for yoo hoo. Now the useful idiots are complainiong about my exercising of free speech? Repeat after me... No, it might hurt your ears.

Sarc:

Tell me what word comes to YOUR mind when you see GWB talking and know that 50 million people voted for this "person"?

I think those with a conservative bent generally promote and take pride in our individual and national accomplishment and achievement, and those with a liberal jones, well, not so much.

You don't know me or any other "Liberals". You are talking out of your ass. Yet, It's so nice for me to finally have a decent day off from work/school/home chores, etc to come here and read how some moron thinks my laziness is detrimental to the country. FU. I'm off to the gym.

Yes. (none / 0) (#49)
by Edger on Fri Apr 20, 2007 at 04:29:54 PM EST

There are too many stupid things happening. Far different than an assessment of the country as a whole.


btw, Edger, (none / 0) (#54)
by sarcastic unnamed one on Fri Apr 20, 2007 at 05:11:11 PM EST

maybe you should read his comment again...


I did. (none / 0) (#57)
by Edger on Fri Apr 20, 2007 at 05:36:02 PM EST

I agree with him.


I'm not going to argue with you (none / 0) (#58)
by sarcastic unnamed one on Fri Apr 20, 2007 at 05:51:10 PM EST

but his response to my comment about his "Stupid country" comment was pretty specifically "Tell me what word comes to YOUR mind when you see GWB talking and know that 50 million people voted for this "person"?"

Taken together, it sounds to me like he has a pretty downbeat assessment of his country, its pres and 50 million of its citizens.


: Taken together, (none / 0) (#59)
by Edger on Fri Apr 20, 2007 at 06:00:55 PM EST

it sounds to me like he has a pretty downbeat assessment NOT of his country, BUT of its pres and 50 million of its citizens.
What are the conservatives doing with all the money and power that used to belong to all of us? They are telling us to be absolutely terrified, and to run around in circles like chickens with their heads cut off. But they will save us. They are making us take off our shoes at airports. Can anybody here think of a more hilarious practical joke than that one?
...
What are conservatives? They are people who will move heaven and earth, if they have to, who will ruin a company or a country or a planet, to prove to us and to themselves that they are superior to everybody else, except for their pals. They take good care of their pals, keep them out of jail--and so on.

Conservatives are crazy as bedbugs. They are bullies.
...
On what grounds did we protest their war? I could name many, but I need name only one, which is common sense.
Kurt Vonnegut

I figured you'd get around to this thread eventual (none / 0) (#52)
by sarcastic unnamed one on Fri Apr 20, 2007 at 04:43:49 PM EST

If reading what "some moron" writes here affects you so strongly, maybe you should stop reading here?

At the very least, I suggest you should stop reading what I write as I am fairly confident that you'll never agree with me on just about anything.


Dementia (none / 0) (#1)
by TomK on Fri Apr 20, 2007 at 01:43:01 AM EST

I hope all you 30 and 40 year olds are experts at caring for demented people.

Alzheimers rates are going to skyrocket the next 10 or so years.

It's gonna be really bad for a lot of people. As medical treatment gets better, people will live longer, and a higher percent of them will get dementia.

Not on my shift (none / 0) (#16)
by HK on Fri Apr 20, 2007 at 12:59:50 PM EST

Both of my parents are in long term relationships with much younger partners, so I am lucky enough to only have my own sanity to worry about ;0)

After years of answering quizzical looks and enquiries of how I cope (!?) with same-age step parents, I figure not having to play nursemaid to elderly folks is my pay-off.


Marijuana shows promise (none / 0) (#50)
by lilybart on Fri Apr 20, 2007 at 04:31:13 PM EST

in preventing alzheimers in addition to preventing lung cancer, and may even help in its treatment.

: Thanks lilybart... (none / 0) (#53)
by kdog on Fri Apr 20, 2007 at 04:54:46 PM EST

for mentioning that.
I remember in High Times a month or so back, they profiled an Asian lady, I think from India, still going strong at over 100 years of age. Her secret? Smoking a spliff the size of my forearm every night.
I'm sure the organic food and hard work all her life didn't hurt either.

diabetes (none / 0) (#5)
by Thaumaturgist on Fri Apr 20, 2007 at 10:24:02 AM EST

One of the reasons for such high rates of diabetes these days is Agent Orange. The Veterans Administration has adopted a presumption that the diabetic conditiof of anyone who served on the ground in Vietnam was caused by Agent Orange. It was one of the hidden costs of the Vietnam War.

Life expectancy (none / 0) (#6)
by Abdul Abulbul Amir on Fri Apr 20, 2007 at 11:18:24 AM EST

So, is life expectancy up or down? If this based on a survey is as it appears, then this may reflect what people think about their health rather than actual health. With health scares circulating more widely in the past, this may reflect perception rather than reality. Can you post a link to the source?

: Here's the link (none / 0) (#10)
by Jeralyn on Fri Apr 20, 2007 at 12:28:26 PM EST

to today's Washington Post. That was an oversight on my part, I've added it to the Post. Thanks for letting me know.

We do seem.... (none / 0) (#7)
by kdog on Fri Apr 20, 2007 at 11:56:46 AM EST

to get sick more frequently, don't we? Colds, the flu, fevers, viruses....that type of stuff.

I like the George Carlin theory...because of all the anti-bacterial soaps, disinfectants, excessive hand washing, etc....we don't come in contact with enough germs and our immune systems get soft.

: This is actually true. (none / 0) (#51)
by lilybart on Fri Apr 20, 2007 at 04:32:55 PM EST

People who sheild their kids from all germs, not letting play in public sandboxes etc, are doing more harm than any good they could be doing.
Most bacteria are beneficial to us, so killing them all doesn't make sense.

Does not suprise me (none / 0) (#8)
by sarcastic unnamed one on Fri Apr 20, 2007 at 12:07:04 PM EST

but large surveys are consistently finding that they tend to describe themselves as less hale and hearty than their forebears did at the same age.

imo, as a nation and a society, this malaise is due to a lessening of our confidence and self-worth.

In my experience, these qualities of confidence and self-worth normally result from accomplishment and achievement - from a personal to a national scale.

Yes, I do think a substantial part of our societal malaise is political.

What am I, then (none / 0) (#9)
by Peaches on Fri Apr 20, 2007 at 12:16:58 PM EST

I have self-worth and I got the liberal jones. ;)

A agree with you about national pride. Liberals do need to discover a stronger sense of national pride in America, if we are to begin to heal our faults.

You can love your country and still disagree with your government.

But, I do think our declining health is real and not just a matter of low self-esteem. We are a sicker generation than previous ones and we will continue to get sicker until we clean up our environment and food supply. We are what we eat and breathe - and that is a whole lot of chemicals and a lack of essential minerals and vitamins.


General agreement (none / 0) (#12)
by sarcastic unnamed one on Fri Apr 20, 2007 at 12:34:08 PM EST

however I may give emotional/psychological "malaise" a greater role in sickness than you.


Case in point (none / 0) (#14)
by sarcastic unnamed one on Fri Apr 20, 2007 at 12:42:27 PM EST

Liberals do need to discover a stronger sense of national pride in America

Kdog (none / 0) (#11)
by Che's Lounge on Fri Apr 20, 2007 at 12:35:58 PM EST
In CA we can grow up to 3 plants and still only be cited.
Fined money for planting a seed. A seed that "God" put in our midst. But it's OK to use other plants for medicines.
Stupid country.

How does that support your theory? (none / 0) (#15)
by Edger on Fri Apr 20, 2007 at 12:54:17 PM EST

In fact, does anything?

Without liberals there would be no Constitution, and there would have been no Revolutionary War, IMO.

Contrary to commons misconceptions anti government power is a 'real' liberal trait, and pro government power is not a 'real' conservative trait, I would say.


Lose the war (none / 0) (#17)
by Abdul Abulbul Amir on Fri Apr 20, 2007 at 01:09:25 PM EST

Without liberals there would be ... no Revolutionary War, IMO.

We would have lost that war because almost no one could own a gun or be able to use one with skill. Liberals were more interested in freedom then than in the nanny state.


: heh (none / 0) (#20)
by Edger on Fri Apr 20, 2007 at 01:24:42 PM EST

you didn't really ::read:: my comment.

Dunno (none / 0) (#21)
by sarcastic unnamed one on Fri Apr 20, 2007 at 01:27:21 PM EST

His comment seems pretty indicative of a general malaise or down-beat assessment of our country that, imo, has been a trend for decades.

I don't think his comment is an aberration.

Maybe he did misspeak, who knows, regardless, even to misspeak this way I think is telling.


I'm not sure whose comment you mean. n/t (none / 0) (#22)
by Edger on Fri Apr 20, 2007 at 01:31:18 PM EST

: Che's (none / 0) (#23)
by sarcastic unnamed one on Fri Apr 20, 2007 at 01:33:29 PM EST

What does "n/t" mean?

I'm not sure whose comment you mean. n/t (none / 0) (#25)
by Edger on Fri Apr 20, 2007 at 01:37:25 PM EST

I think he was just saying that he thinks that there are too many stupid things happening. Far different than an assessment of the country as a whole.


: n/t = no text, just subject (none / 0) (#26)
by Edger on Fri Apr 20, 2007 at 01:38:07 PM EST

Is that necessarily a bad thing? (none / 0) (#32)
by kdog on Fri Apr 20, 2007 at 02:11:41 PM EST

If you think your country isn't all it can be as I do....should you be happy about? Or proud that your country isn't living up it's own standards?

I see what your saying, but the opposite is just as bad. Thinking everything is just peachy, that is.

The truth is somewhere in the middle....America is a great country, but like all countries it has its problems, and they should not be ignored or glossed over. We can always do better.

When it comes to marijuana laws, our country is stupid, imo.


Kdog (none / 0) (#35)
by Peaches on Fri Apr 20, 2007 at 02:23:31 PM EST

Hey now, no need to make this persoanl. ;)

Democratic ideals are something that we will always strive for and they will be forever out of reach. What makes our country great is that we are striving towards these ideals no mater how far short of them we remain. I agree that the marijuana laws do not accomplish anything towards achieving these ideals and in fact, in many ways, detract from their pursuits. What makes this country great is that people are still activiely trying to change them.


No pun intended... (none / 0) (#37)
by kdog on Fri Apr 20, 2007 at 02:38:22 PM EST

my friend.

It is great that people make it their lifes work to change these laws. I also think its great that so many, like myself, just ignore them. The great American outlaw tradition.


: Ah, yes, (none / 0) (#39)
by Peaches on Fri Apr 20, 2007 at 02:43:13 PM EST

The outlaw tradition is another thing that makes America Great.
I will be acting out that tradition myself this upcoming weekend with my cronies. I'm looking forward to it.

Dunno (none / 0) (#38)
by sarcastic unnamed one on Fri Apr 20, 2007 at 02:40:53 PM EST

imo, for a long time now there has been an increasingly downbeat assessment of life/country/future/whatever in general and that this affects our health, among other things.


No doubt.... (none / 0) (#55)
by kdog on Fri Apr 20, 2007 at 05:16:08 PM EST

general negativity will effect your health, as will general positivity. Mind over matter.

I don't see it as a liberal/conservative thing. To use your words, don't stereotypical conservatives have a downbeat assessment of the ACLU, the Clintons, San Francisco libs, and Hollywood?

For example, I was listening to conservative talk radio on the way home the other night...that nutjob Mark Levin isn't negative? All I hear is him foaming that "liberals" are destroying the country and the future. I was laughing my ass off.

I guess I'm saying living on the downbeat is a bi-partisan affliction. And it sure as hell ain't healthy.

You may be right (none / 0) (#56)
by sarcastic unnamed one on Fri Apr 20, 2007 at 05:31:21 PM EST

but, imo, I see more, I don't know, hopelessness maybe, unhappiness, whatever, about the world/country/future/etc. in liberals, generally, than I do in conservatives.


: You need to get out more (none / 0) (#61)
by Aquaria on Fri Apr 20, 2007 at 11:01:13 PM EST

This reminds me of Thomas Frank describing the postive, can-do older guys he knew, in the book, "What's the Matter with Kansas?" They seemed to have a lot of "You can pick yourself up" type of positive thinking...but they weren't really positive at all. They were actually very angry and hateful, and it turned out, when you really listed to them, that they were anything but positive people.
There is so much anger in conservatives, and it's not healthy. They hate everybody: minorities, women, gays, non-Xians, liberals, Democrats, abortion doctors, abortion patients, on and on and on and on. And too many of them act on this anger. A substantial percentage of our domestic terror acts and ideological killings, especially in the last 20-25 years, have come from the conservative end of the spectrum. Not the liberal. So I'd say that conservative anger is a lot more deadly to us all.

As Glanton says (none / 0) (#18)
by Peaches on Fri Apr 20, 2007 at 01:10:52 PM EST

Words do mean something. I think Che may mean Stupid Government, but I'm not sure.

Stupid country implies contempt for your fellow citizens and a belief that together we cannot achieve our goals for freedom that were set by the founders. Stupid Government would be a call for a goverment to better reflect the will of the people. There is a big difference.

Of course, if one disagrees with the will of the people, then stupid country means what the person says. I, personally, find that discomforting.


I took it as meaning (none / 0) (#19)
by Edger on Fri Apr 20, 2007 at 01:22:02 PM EST

There are too many stupid people in the country, or things like being fined money for planting a seed wouldn't be happening.


Well, I'm too stupid (none / 0) (#24)
by Peaches on Fri Apr 20, 2007 at 01:36:41 PM EST

to know how many stupid people in this country exist.


Well, I don't have an exact number to give you (none / 0) (#28)
by Edger on Fri Apr 20, 2007 at 01:47:48 PM EST

But if too many stupid things are being done I think that's a pretty good indication that there are too many stupid people.... or, heh, that too many smart people are doing too many stupid things, which I think is probably unlikely, except that maybe too many smart people might be letting stupid people get away with doing stupid things without calling them on it, which would be rather stupid for smart people to do, but then some days I'm as dumb as I look, so I really can't be certain. ;-)


I correct my children (none / 0) (#29)
by Peaches on Fri Apr 20, 2007 at 01:55:26 PM EST

when they use the word stupid.

I tell them its not a nice word and to try and think of a description that might be less apt to hurt someone's feelings.

I also try not to use the word. For now, my children still seem to be listening to me. We'll see how long that lasts.


Maybe they are (none / 0) (#31)
by Edger on Fri Apr 20, 2007 at 02:01:33 PM EST

brighter than you think they are.


Oh, they are bright (none / 0) (#33)
by Peaches on Fri Apr 20, 2007 at 02:18:10 PM EST

That's why I know that some day they will stop listening to me.


I meant (none / 0) (#41)
by Edger on Fri Apr 20, 2007 at 02:50:56 PM EST

Maybe you think they are very bright, geniuses even, and maybe they are brighter than you think they are.

In which case maybe they will stop listening to you, or, even better, maybe they are bright enough that they will continue to.


Thanks, Edger n/t (none / 0) (#42)
by Peaches on Fri Apr 20, 2007 at 03:03:26 PM EST

btw (none / 0) (#43)
by Peaches on Fri Apr 20, 2007 at 03:04:18 PM EST

That's the first time I've used n/t. Like Sarc, I've never been able to figure out what the hell it means. Until, today that is. ;)


: I guess it's just to show that the (none / 0) (#45)
by Edger on Fri Apr 20, 2007 at 03:41:24 PM EST

no text isn't a posting mistake.

Cut your salt (none / 0) (#11)
by Jeralyn on Fri Apr 20, 2007 at 12:30:42 PM EST

according to this article from Britain today.

: Thanks, J, (none / 0) (#13)
by sarcastic unnamed one on Fri Apr 20, 2007 at 12:37:32 PM EST

My dad's been telling us that for at least 35 years now...of course that's when he had his first coronary bypass operation.
Lots of sodium in soft drinks.

Gen X (none / 0) (#27)
by eric on Fri Apr 20, 2007 at 01:42:00 PM EST

Just wait until Gen X gets old. We are going to be one hell of a burden.

I would attribue it to (none / 0) (#30)
by Wile ECoyote on Fri Apr 20, 2007 at 02:00:34 PM EST

Increased ease of travel to every part of the globe and the accompanying ease of the spread of germs.

Additionally, increased automation in life overall has made people, especially in first world countries lazier, less prone to exercise or manual labor. Just wait until there is nationalized healthcare. We will have to use a forklift to get the people to the hospital waiting rooms, because that will be the next demand.

: I agree... (none / 0) (#44)
by kdog on Fri Apr 20, 2007 at 03:24:19 PM EST

on the laziness....but think the opposite on the germs. We don't come in contact with enough of them. Our immune systems are in atrophy.
My advice....get dirty. Roll around in the mud, french kiss your lover when he/she has a cold, eat that food you dropped on the floor....its good for you.

we're just wimpier (none / 0) (#34)
by Deconstructionist on Fri Apr 20, 2007 at 02:23:24 PM EST

People used to be more stoic and accepted that as you get older things change. as for supposed higher instances of hypertension, high cholesterol and diabetes, don't you figure it's just more people going to the doctor and getting diagnosed rather than higher actual proportions?

To the extent any of that study is worth anything, (doubtful other than propaganda), it probably demonstrates that "working out" is not a great substitute for hard work.

: good point (none / 0) (#36)
by Peaches on Fri Apr 20, 2007 at 02:25:03 PM EST

it probably demonstrates that "working out" is not a great substitute for hard work.

I agree whole-heartedly.

: Very true.... (none / 0) (#40)
by kdog on Fri Apr 20, 2007 at 02:44:37 PM EST

My dad's generation didn't see a doctor unless they were bleeding profusely or were already at death's door...and even then they only might go to a doc.

Maybe boomers are whiners... (none / 0) (#60)
by diogenes on Fri Apr 20, 2007 at 10:05:27 PM EST

The baby boomer cohort may be in the same health but simply complain more.