Eight out of 10 of the middle aged either weigh too much, drink too much or don’t exercise enough.
That’s according to new analysis from Public Health England (PHE) out today which shows how modern life is taking its toll on health.
Today sees the launch of a new campaign reaching out to the 83% of 40 to 60 year olds (87% of men and 79% of women) who are either overweight or obese, exceed the Chief Medical Officer’s (CMO) alcohol guidelines or are physically inactive.
Modern life is harming the health of the nation says the agency. 77% of men and 63% of women in middle age are overweight or obese. Obesity in adults has shot up 16% in the last 20 years. Many also can’t identify what a ‘healthy’ body looks like, suggesting obesity has become the new normal.
The diabetes rate among this age group also doubled in this period in England. Obese adults are more than 5 times more likely to develop Type 2 diabetes than those who are a healthy weight (a body mass index between 18.5 and 25). Ninety per cent of adults with diabetes have Type 24.
People are being urged to take a moment to consider their health and the simple steps they can take to improve it in the run up to the New Year, by taking the One You online quiz. People need to eat better, be more active, stop smoking and consider their drinking.
The quiz, called ‘How Are You’, takes your lifestyle information, gives you a health score and then links to free localised, personalisable information, apps and tools.
Professor Kevin Fenton, Director of Health and Wellbeing at PHE, said:
“People are busy with work, with families, with the daily grind and sometimes their own health is the least of their priorities.”
Professor Sir Muir Gray, Clinical Adviser for the One You campaign, said:
The demands of modern day living are taking their toll on the health of the nation, and it’s those in middle age that are suffering the consequences most, as their health reaches worrying new levels.
Over 15 million Britons are living with a long term health condition , and busy lives and desk jobs make it difficult to live healthily. But just making a few small changes will have significant benefits to people’s health now and in later life.
Dan Howarth, Head of Care at Diabetes UK, said:
We know that people often bury their heads in the sand when it comes to their general health but the consequences of doing nothing can be catastrophic. There are an estimated 11.9 million people at increased risk of developing Type 2 diabetes in the UK because of their lifestyle and more than one million who already have the condition but have not yet been diagnosed.
Dr Ellie Cannon, NHS Doctor and media medic, said:
Lots of us spend our lives working very hard, not sleeping enough and not always having time to exercise, so it can be really difficult to prioritise our health. But it’s vital to find out how you really are, so that you can get the advice and support you need. It’s never too late to improve your health and making small changes now can have a huge impact on your health in the future: it can even help to reverse preventable diseases. With the new year just around the corner, there’s no better time to start living better and enjoy the health benefits that will bring.
