Anyone who has been through the crisis of crossing the line at age 40 knows that there is no turning back, and that age brings with it not only psychological and mental dilemmas, but also various health problems like strange back pain and general fatigue.
A new study from the UK found that about one in three people over the age of 40 suffers from many chronic health problems.
The British study, which spans some 50 years (since 1970), periodically follows the lives of some 17,000 people born in England, Scotland and Wales.
Nearly 8,000 of them were surveyed for a study by University College, London, published in the journal BMC Public Health.
The findings showed that 34% had two or more chronic health problems, such as high blood pressure and mental health challenges which developed at ages 46-48.
Health problems which appear frequently:Dangerous levels of alcohol consumption: 26%Recurrent back problems: 21%Mental health dilemmas:19%High blood pressure: 16%
Arthritis, type 2 diabetes, asthma and bronchitis also occur
Chief researcher Dr. David Gundak said he was surprised and concerned to see some of them suffering from health problems when they were "still relatively young.”
“A significant segment of the population already suffer from physical and mental health problems by the end of their 40s”, he said, adding that this isn’t a good sign for an aging population that can be expected to live longer, yet in poor health.
Diabetes and high blood pressure were more common among those who were obese. People with a troubled family background or who experienced poor mental health in their youth were also more likely to suffer from poor health. And the researchers suggest that targeted public health interventions in childhood and adolescence may improve the health outcomes of future generations.
True, today's 40s are not like they used to be, and people still behave and feel young, yet experts advise that proper nutrition, restricting alcohol consumption, quitting smoking and exercising consistently can make all the difference in these challenging decades.