The good news for baby boomers is that you’ll probably live significantly longer than any previous generation. The bad news, unfortunately, is that you may spend those years in bad health.
People born between 1946 and 1964, according to a new study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association Internal Medicine, are much more likely two have high blood pressure, diabetes, and high cholesterol than their parents and grandparents. These boomers are also more likely to be obese, not engage in regular exercise, have more disabilities as a result of their medical conditions, and have a lower self-rated health than older people.
As 10,000 boomers reach retirement age every day those health problems will contribute to the growing cost of healthcare and may have a significant impact on retirement and estate planning. For example, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Americans currently spends over $320 billion on obesity and diabetes treatment and care alone.
For boomers with these chronic healthcare conditions, spending years dealing with such problems can easily eat away retirement savings and not leave anything to leave behind to their children.
Fortunately, experts say that many of the problems boomers are having with their health can be treated or mitigated with regular exercise and a smart diet. The old mantra of watching what you eat and staying active is not just one that aid health, but will also help boomers feel comfortable in knowing that they will have something to leave behind for their children or grandchildren.
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