Top 10 health challenges facing baby boomers
- Type 2 diabetes – According to the CDC, the number of individuals with diabetes has more than tripled in the last 20 years. This isn’t a coincidence, given the fact that the aging US population has marked an increase in obesity rates. Obesity is one of the most dangerous risk factors for diabetes. By changing your lifestyle and providing proper medical care, the risk of suffering from diabetes can be prevented, delayed, or managed.
- Heart disease – Heart disease is the number one cause of death for both men and women over the age of 60. After 45 especially, the risk increases more. Coronary artery disease is something you need to keep an eye on. And it’s also the most common type of heart disease and the main cause of heart attacks.
- Cancer – Cancer doesn’t spare any individual. Even so, for most types of cancer, increasing age is the most important risk factor. The good news is that cancer-related deaths are declining, not rising. This means that the chances of surviving it are now higher.
- Alzheimer’s disease – Alzheimer’s disease affects more than six million people, mainly those who are 65 and older. Alzheimer’s is the most common cause of dementia among seniors. The disease manifests in stages and affects memory, thinking, learning, and the ability to perform simple daily activities.
- Depression – Depression can occur at any age, but most of the time, it begins in adulthood. As the National Institute of Mental health states, depression in late adulthood can occur at the same time as other illnesses, such as diabetes, cancer, heart disease, and Parkinson’s disease. Dr. Cutter clarifies that “depression is not a normal process of aging”, and that it still is an uncomfortably subject to tackle.
