Baby boomers do a lot more whingeing

U.S. researchers say baby boomers may not be as healthy as their parents were when they retired.

Data from the Health and Retirement Study, has shown that baby boomers born between 1948 and 1953 were less likely than their parents to describe their health as "very good" or "excellent, and a growing body of evidence suggests that the 'baby boomer' generation are more likely to report chronic aches and pains, as well as high cholesterol, blood pressure and diabetes.

The researchers say many of these ailments parallel a number of unhealthy nationwide trends, such as obesity, physical inactivity and higher stress levels, which exacerbate cholesterol and blood pressure problems.

However though baby boomer's tend to be less physically active than their parents and grandparents many researchers believe the apparent increase in the rates of chronic disease may also indicate that such illnesses are simply being diagnosed earlier, which may result in increased longevity as patients successfully manage such conditions.

The research also implies that the baby boomer generation is more health conscious and therefore more likely to notice and complain about aches and pains.

They say the U.S. life expectancy has increased consistently for decades, while the disability rate has been steadily dropping.

The research suggests that while baby boomers are healthier in some important ways, such as being less likely to smoke, surveys consistently find that baby boomers are less likely to describe themselves as less hale and hearty than their parents at the same age.