Boomers beware

JOEY IVANSCO / COX NEWS SERVICE Millie Witmer works out regularly in Atlanta with a group of about 20 baby boomers. The gap between perception and reality may be widening for baby boomers.

A recent survey conducted by Energizer Battery suggests that people believe they are healthier than they are and make assumptions about their health based on how they feel. More than 73 percent of middle-aged married couples rated their health as good or excellent, yet half of Americans aged 55 to 64 — the oldest of boomers — have high blood pressure, and two in five are obese, according to the National Center for Health Statistics.

"It's just human nature," said Jennifer Zreloff, an internal medicine physician at Emory University whose patients are primarily women between the ages of 30 and 60. People want to see themselves as young and healthy, but they seldom define high blood pressure and being overweight as being unhealthy, she said.

Compared to previous generations, boomers smoke less and get more exercise, but they maintain high rates of diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity and other chronic conditions. Obesity and poor diet also increase the risk of developing coronary heart disease, type 2 diabetes and stroke, the leading causes of death in the United States.

As boomers age, incidents of such conditions increase. Currently, 80 percent of Americans 65 and older have at least one chronic condition, and half have at least two. By 2030, six of every 10 boomers will manage more than one chronic condition, according to health and aging industry predictions.

"If they actually want to live up to being healthy, then they've got to take those problems seriously," Zreloff said. "We've got to redefine what healthy is."

Dr. Jonathan Flacker, who turns 44 next week, describes his health as "pretty good."

He eats a healthy diet, avoids processed foods and exercises almost daily. His weight, cholesterol and blood pressure rank in the acceptable range. Still, the physician admits that he and other boomers can lead healthier lifestyles.

Boomers are armed with more information about health and fitness than earlier generations, but the incidence of chronic disease confirm that they are not applying what they know, he said.

"Knowledge isn't always power," said the medical director of the Emory Clinic at Wesley Woods whose patients are 65 and older. "We have the ability to ignore what we know and sit on the couch and eat whatever we want."

His recommendations: Don't wait for medical interventions to help you live longer with chronic disease. Instead, maintain a healthy body weight, exercise regularly, eat a balanced diet and schedule regular health screenings.

When people do those things, then they will be healthier, Flacker said.

FEELINGS ABOUT HEALTH

Additional findings of Energizer Battery's online survey of 44-to-62 year olds include:

• Diet. Sixty percent of respondents said they try to maintain a healthy diet, and 46 percent said so do their spouses.

• Exercise. Only 33 percent said they exercised regularly to maintain a healthy lifestyle, and 66 percent said they disliked exercise or found it a hassle.

• Age. Forty-five percent claim they feel better than their chronological age, while 20 percent said they feel worse.

• Change. More than 48 percent of respondents wanted their spouses to exercise more, 41 percent wanted them to lose weight, and 41 percent wanted them to eat healthier.

• Supplements. More than 68 percent report taking vitamins or nutritional supplements to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

• Expectations. Nearly half of respondents (48 percent) thought their spouse was aging "as expected." Thirty nine percent of men said their wives were aging "better than expected," while 30 percent of women thought their husbands were aging better than they expected.