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In her annual report on the state of the public’s
health, ‘Baby Boomers: Fit for the Future’,
Professor Dame Sally Davies, the Chief Medical
Officer for England, focuses on the health of people
aged between 50 and 70.
It considers topics such as the impact of lifestyle
choices on current and future health, mental health,
sexual health, and screening and immunisation
programmes.
Professor Sally Davies said: people are living
longer than ever and so retirement presents a real
opportunity for baby boomers to be more active than
ever before. For many people it is a chance to take
on new challenges, it is certainly not the start of
a slower pace of life it once was.
Staying in work, volunteering or joining a community
group can make sure people stay physically and
mentally active for longer. The health benefits of
this cannot be overestimated.
CMO outlines the opportunities baby boomers have to
improve their health: 45% of the disease burden in
this age group is attributable to lifestyle choices
(for example, poor diet, smoking, being overweight).
By 2020 estimates show that a third of British
workers will be aged over 50.
More than 75% of people aged between 50 and pension
age are still in active employment, 12% of those
older than pension age are also still working.
More women now work too: women now represent 46% of
the workforce compared with 30%.
The report finds that good quality work is good for
baby boomers’ health and that employers have a role
to play by helping their staff to remain healthy
enough to stay in employment.
The mental health needs of baby boomers are
substantial in many respects, with 18% reported to
have depression or anxiety disorder.
This is twice the proportion in the generation born
before 1945.
Men around the age of 50 have the highest suicide
rate of all age groups.
Baby boomers are sexually active but some are
experiencing problems with sexual function. Health
professionals can give advice.
For more information
Annual Report of the Chief Medical Officer 2015 On
the State of the Public’s Health
Baby Boomers: Fit for the Future
Link...
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