Today's adults are less healthy

Despite their longer life expectancy, today’s adults are less “metabolically” healthy than their counterparts in previous generations. That’s the conclusion of a large cohort study from the Netherlands that compared generational changes in a number of well-established metabolic risk factors for cardiovascular disease. The researchers concluded that “the most recently born generations are doing wrong.” And they warn that “the prevalence of metabolic risk factors and lifetime exposure has increased and will likely continue to increase.”

The studio

The study, published in a European journal of preventive cardiology, analyzed data from more than 6,000 people in the Doetinchem Cohort Study. It began in 1987 with follow-up exams after ages six, 11 and 16. The risk factors measured were body weight, blood pressure, total cholesterol levels (for hypercholesterolemia), and levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL), which is considered “protective”. Subjects were stratified by sex and generation at baseline into ten-year age groups (20, 30, 40, and 50 years). Follow-up analyzes were aimed at determining whether a generation had a different risk profile from a generation born ten years earlier. This is what researchers call a “generational shift.” The results showed that the prevalence of overweight, obesity, and hypertension increased with age in all generations. But in general, recent generations had a higher prevalence of these risk factors than generations born ten years earlier. For example, 40% of men who were in their 30s at the start of the study were classified as overweight. 11 years later, the prevalence of overweight among second-generation men in their 30s had increased to 52%. A statistically significant generational change. In women, these unfavorable changes in weight were only evident among the most recently born generations. The prevalence of obesity doubled in just 10 years.

Other findings of the study include:

Unfavorable (and statistically significant) generation changes in hypertension in both sexes between each consecutive generation. Except for the two most recent generations that are born to men. Unfavorable Generation shifts in diabetes among three of the four generations of men. But not from women. No generation changes for** hypercholesterolemia**. Favorable changes in HDL cholesterol were only observed between the two oldest generations. The researchers emphasize that “the most recently born adult generations are doing worse than their predecessors.” The evidence to explain the changes is not clear, they add. But studies report an increase in physical inactivity.

What do the results mean for public health?

The impact of obesity at a younger age is highlighted. For example, the prevalence of obesity in our younger generation of men and women at the median age of 40 is similar to that of our older generation at the median age of 55. This means that this younger generation is 15 years ahead of the older generation and will be exposed to obesity for longer. So first of all, it highlights the need for a healthy body weight. By promoting greater physical activity and balanced diet, especially among the younger generations. “The results also indicate that we are very likely to see a change in non-communicable diseases. This is because the prevalence of tobacco use in high-income countries is declining. This decline in the prevalence of smoking and improved quality of health care are now important drivers of the increased life expectancy of younger generations. And it is likely that in the future life expectancy will continue to increase. But it is also possible that in the more distant future the rate of increase in expectancy life slow down. As a result of our current obesity trends. Although it is difficult to speculate on that.