The Status of Baby Boomers' Health in the United States
Dr Dana E King, Eric Matheson, Svetlana Chirina, Anoop Shankar, Jordan Broman-Fulks
JAMA Internal Medicine, doi:10.1001/jamainternmed.2013.2006
Figure] ), and medication use for hypercholesterolemia was more than 10 times greater (25.9% vs 1.5%; PϽ.001). Baby boomers were also more likely to have diabetes (15.5% vs 12.0%; P = .003 [Figure]) and take medication for diabetes (11.3% vs 6.2%; P Ͻ .001). The slight trend toward higher prevalence of cancer in baby boomers vs the previous generation was not significant (10.6% vs 9.5%; P = .25). The frequency of emphysema decreased in the baby boomer generation (2.3%) relative to the previous generation (3.5%) (P = .03). Baby boomers were also less likely to have had a myocardial infarction (3.6%) compared with the previous generation (5.3%) (P=.004). A logistic regression was conducted to control for changes in demographic characteristics (age, sex, race, and socioeconomic status) of the population between 1988-1994 and 2007-2010. The results indicated, after adjustment, that baby boomers remained more likely than the previous generation to have diabetes (odds ratio [OR], 1.46; 95% CI, 1.16-1.83); hypertension (OR, 1.38; 95% CI, 1.14-1.67); and hypercholesterolemia (OR, 5.94; 95% CI, 4.94-7.14). Comment. Despite their longer life expectancy over previous generations, US baby boomers have higher rates of chronic disease, more disability, and lower self-rated health than members of the previous generation at the same age. On a positive note, baby boomers are less likely to smoke cigarettes and experience lower rates of emphysema and myocardial infarction than the previous generation. The findings from the present study documenting poorer health status and increased rates of obesity, hypertension, diabetes, and hypercholesterolemia support an increased likelihood for continued rising health care costs and a need for increased numbers of health professionals as baby boomers age. 5,6 Given the link between positive healthy lifestyles and subsequent health in this age group, 7 the present study demonstrates a clear need for policies that expand efforts at prevention and healthy lifestyle promotion in the baby boomer generation.
Role of the Sponsors: The funders had no role in the design and conduct of the study; in the collection, analysis, and interpretation of the data; or in the preparation, review, or approval of the manuscript. Previous Presentation: This study was presented as a conference poster, "Vitamin C Supplementation and Kidney Stone Incidence Among Men: A Population-Based Prospective Cohort Study," at the International Conference on Diet and Activity Methods, Food and Organisation; May 15, 2012; Rome, Italy.
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