AIBU to think poor health in later life is a UK problem?

I suppose it depends on what we mean by ‘poor health’. I read previously this was defined as the point when someone’s health has an impact on their quality of life, but I don’t know how much that would be subjective or whether this is counted in objective ways.

Presumably the ages given are averages and so will include people very much younger with long term illnesses and disabilities. And on the other hand, there will be people like your friends in their late 60s running marathons.

People I know in their early 60s tend to either have things like high blood pressure/cholesterol which is managed by medication, are fairly healthy in that respect but have something like arthritis which can impact on their movement, or have/ or are recovering from other health issues. So all have or have had some kind of health issue but none that stop them getting on with life, by which I mean working, shopping, socialising etc, not running marathons.

There is no joined up public health policy. Nothing is integrated. Nothing.

Who are?

You can't write off an entire body of scientific analysis, just because it doesn't fit with where you are right now.

My mum is 82, walks 6 miles every day, and grows her own organic vegetables. I don't think her existence nullifies a ton of global data.

And they’re the most obese people too!

I have several Polish friends who go back to Poland whenever they need healthcare as the NHS is so dire. They say you can get what you need e.g. scans, seeing a gynaecologist etc quickly and at low cost.

I think it's 21st century living which for many is just existing anyway. Up at all hours of the morning, home later at night, then into the second job at home which is often down to women let's face it. Kids babysat by screens, quick easy food, little activity, depression, stress, bills, weather, accommodation struggles, COL, you name it, many are struggling, and health is one of the things most affected.

So many threads on here - should I go to the GP, I'll struggle on with a paracetemol, should I go to A+E, what is this ailment and how will I treat it. So health is neglected. The easy things not being treated lead to worse outcomes for other things.

You may say but our parents/grandparents didn't have it easy either. No they didn't, but they didn't have screens, they had a GP who was part of the community and who would visit the house day or night, women stayed in hospital for a week after a birth, mothers generally were SAHMs, so kids had fresh meals prepared, fewer cars, lots of cycling and so on. It's just a different world now and is very driven. Kids must do twenty activities when two would do, must go to the gym every morning at 5 am, when two would do along with walking/cycling instead of driving where possible.

I'm guilty myself of many of the above, and it's life today. I don't know how to fix it.

You're being reductive about one of the key parts of the issue. The poster you quote is hardly saying anything Earth-shattering. If children learned about nutrition and healthy food habits/options and how to incorporate them into the average lifestyle, at a young age, it would result in a healthier population.

I'm not sure what you're disputing here.

Polands excellent economic and educational successes are very new though- it was a low income, fairly “left behind” country after the war- until a decade or so ago.

there is no doubt Poland was much worse off than the uk for much of the post war era (and still isn’t as wealthy)

I’d also be astonished if Poland was a healthier country, as they have high levels of alcoholism, fatal accidents, poor housing and infrastructure.

although maybe just means people die younger and therefore don’t have a place in this longevity conversation.

This was me. I didn't overeat, I was thin everywhere else. I paid for surgery.

The problem with the NHS is it was never designed for prevention. It is a reactive, end stage, sick care model which frequently only treats people when they are way past the point of being able to gain meaningful benefit.

No cholesterol treatment until you either have an ASCVD event or are in the prodromal decade of one.

No DEXA until you have a fragility fracture (by which point the diagnosis can be made clinically)

Pre-diabetes - come back for a yearly blood test until you develop frank diabetes.

etc...

Also we have one of the world's largest health gaps between people in the top and bottom income deciles. This is the elephant in the room ignored by successive governments who continue to flog the personal responsibility paradigm. Why are far more poor people obese? Guess they must all just lack willpower.

I know it's arbitrary but I think it shows how sedentary people are when they're not even walking 2k steps a day - that's barely even a mile of movement.

Oh, I'm guilty too - we have a supermarket half a mile away but I often hop in the car instead of walk as I can't be bothered to walk back with all the shopping, lol.

Sorry, I think that's nonsense. I'm 74, in good health and my lifestyle isn't much different from when I was young. If I've got another ten years to go, I'm hoping and expecting to carry on in the same way, eating good food, going out every day, driving, helping out with grandchildren, seeing friends. And I'm not wealthy.

It’s obesity related.
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We eat complete crap.

And other countries, such as America, don't?

let alone the recommended 10k.

That's a completely arbitrary figure, not 'recommended'.

I understand exhaustion. As a single mum I cooked for my ds all through breast cancer, chemo, radio. I was fit to drop most nights but I didn't resort to chicken nuggets. Just as I don't give up running charity 10ks now I'm in my 60s, because I know it keeps my bones and lungs and immune system strong. Being outside boosts my mood and gives me vit d.

Education is the key

I understand exhaustion. As a single mum I cooked for my ds all through breast cancer, chemo, radio. I was fit to drop most nights but I didn't resort to chicken nuggets. Just as I don't give up running charity 10ks now I'm in my 60s, because I know it keeps my bones and lungs and immune system strong. Being outside boosts my mood and gives me vit d.

Education is the key.

I completely agree with you. It's convenient. How many of us take the car to the shop because we're too lazy to walk. I'm guilty of this.

A lot of children aren't used to walking anywhere.

It’s obesity

But you could argue it is also because we have free healthcare. The NHS kept my Mother alive for about 5 years longer than she should have been. My friends Mother is being tube fed currently, she is in her eighties it’s barbaric how some are kept going. There is a very heartfelt post I commented on yesterday from a woman whose Mother is alive but it’s no life for her Mother.

I honestly do think it's attitude.

This thread alone is filled with people making excuses as to why they couldn't possibly prioritise X or do Y, lol.

I think the weather is a big part, even down to older people who deteriorate after slips and falls

I think they did quite a lot of home economics in the 40s, 50s and 60s when our current crop of older but in poorer health people were born.

I'm just saying that lots of people claim they're pushed for time when actually they're just choosing to prioritise other things over their health.

For example you're choosing to send your DC to activities and spend that time walking around the carpark doing squats when you could skip the activity and all do something else instead (like a bike ride, a walk, swimming, playing tennis or football etc).

And that's fine, it's a totally valid choice - but it's not the only choice you have.

I don’t think it’s the weather either. Other countries have similar or colder.

It’s more likely attitude. Any excuse etc that other cultures have less of

It would be interesting to see how much ill health is due to a lack of HRT after the menopause.

With things like lifestyle that isn’t something that can really be solved in older age, to reduce chances of things like low bone density people need to have put the work in by the time they hit their mid thirties. People who aren’t already active in their mid twenties are unlikely to put the work in after then, people generally become less active, its rarer to increase activity levels in early middle age.

Diet is clearly a problem, but really for most of us thats kind of set in early childhood, changing your relationship with food as an adult is incredibly hard.

Fewer people smoke and we no longer have smoking in indoor public spaces, so that will be beneficial to people under 35.

@marsbarslice but I haven’t argued no one can fit in 30 mins of exercise?

I park a distance from work and try and get a walk in my lunch break, I still only get 3500 steps on an average day until I get home from work.

Walking pad? I’m public sector so lucky to find a decent chair!

Well imo I am pushed for time if I have to work & prioritise my dc because it’s not an option for me to not do either…