How common is it for a man/ woman to get to 40 in overall good shape?

[StillAFenceSitter]

Out of curiosity!

Based on your social or professional group, how common is it for a man or woman to get to 40 in good shape? I define good shape as:

• healthy weight
• reasonably fit
• general good physical and mental health

I'll go first: in my social group it is relatively common. While I know some people who have fared worse than average mostly because of poor lifestyle (typically smoking or drinking), I live in an area where most people are active and take good care of their health. Most of the 40+ yo people I know look just as healthy and attractive ad they did 10 years ago, just with a few more lines on their faces. Curios to hear if this is the norm or if my environment is an exception to the rule

Pretty much the same. 40 isn't old these days.

Yeah I would have said 50 more realistic

Menopause is often what makes the difference

Depends on your social circle and their lifestyle….

The 40+ people that I know who have prioritised exercise and have always made time for it, look great. All of them drink (a lot), some of them smoke or vape. But regular movement has kept them fit and toned.

Those who have spent too much time in the pub and nowhere, or haven’t been able to invest time into their own self care and wellness ultimately do look worse off.

On a somewhat related note- I think people are allowed to look younger now, when it comes to styling and grooming which can give the illusion of being in shape/looking well. I am 30. I saw a picture of my great-grandmother at the same age but she looked like a little middle aged lady- perm, glasses, matronly clothes. It was as if once you had kids, got married, that was it!

40s? That seems relatively young, particularly for women, as a fair few men I know seemed to age quite rapidly in their 40s, particularly the ones who drank/smoked.

I'm 61 and still very healthy. I work full time and live an active life. But I don't drink or smoke and never eat processed food.
If you smoke, drink too much and rat crap you're not going to make it.

Yes definitely.

A few more slip off by 50.. but even then

grey with the odd knee/back injury but otherwise still much the same

64% of adults are overweight, my circle I think reflects this
50% of UK adults have a self reported long standing health condition and one in six of us is suffering with poor mental health in any given week.

Therefore healthy adults according to your definitions are certainly in the minority.

Health is of course significantly better for higher income groups, is this the group that you belong to OP?

Definitely think that's the factor not age

It's very common among the people I know. 40 doesn't feel that old TBH.

Yes, admittedly I live in a high-income area so that could affect my experience of how people age around me.

Mine and DH peer group are mainly in higher income bracket, at least top 20% with a smattering of some that will be in top 10%. Overall healthy but now as we approach mid to late fifties the change has been huge regarding ill health and just being more tired overall. We have had a couple of friends die in the last 5 years plus two who have survived cancer. Of my close friends one is overweight but she turned to comfort eating when her ex had an affair and left her a couple of years ago. Definite decline or issues once we all hit menopause. I would say I looked much younger till I hit menopause and then aged a lot in a year.

I absolutely agree that the correlation is with income rather than age. I am just about to hit 40, as are the majority of my friends. We have not gone downhill (!) physically particularly. Some people struggle with mental health - me included - but for most of us, that's been the same for many years.

To be perfectly blunt it is much about income and the lifestyle you can afford rather than age .. I am mid 60s and perfectly healthy (apart from being overweight), my DPs reached their 90s with no more than a few minor aches and pains. My DH and his friends are mid 60s and frequently off long distance hiking .. all are very fit and active. We are all retired professionals.

But I meet people who have not had the same good fortune that I have had, have maybe worked in manual, NMW jobs and seem very worn out - I am shocked when I hear they are younger than me but they have clearly had a much harder life than I have had.

Agree with others. 40 feels young - most women I know had babies in their 40s. And it's definitely to do with income. Most people in my cohort (late 40s/early 50s, middle class higher earners, urban) are fit, healthy and still look like they did ten years ago with a bit of grey hair / few wrinkles.

It’s certainly socioeconomic. In my working and social sphere there are very few men or women of any age who are obviously overweight and none are obsese.
walking down the high street of a low income area is completely different.
also trades who work outside, roofers, brickies, farm labourers are always going to look older, even if their work keeps the weight off.

Interesting question OP and very much linked with income. That said, one of the healthiest people I know (as in, good diet, regular exercise, all the things you’re meant to do) almost died of a type of cancer that doesn’t discriminate in their early 30s. It really is a lottery. There are obviously steps you can take to minimize your chances of some illnesses, but others are entirely arbitrary. Good health isn’t something to be sanctimonious about - makes you sound like a boomer who ‘worked hard for their money’ and categorically didn’t benefit from market conditions.

I don't live in a high income area and I'd say of the 10 closest female friends I have who are now 40s 6 of them are in really bad shape and have been almost since I've known them. All 6 obese, they've had some varying success with different diets but all 6 dislike exercise of any kind, drink varying amounts but only one of them smokes. (Not all part of the same circle and most of them have decent jobs, not all professional but definitely more skilled than physical NMW roles).
2 have always been slim and have been health conscious since I've known them (late teens)
1 is fairly slim but says she's in bad shape but is horrendously busy with millions of commitments - think she will get back in shape as her kids get older and she gets free time.
I'm in decent shape currently but it took a divorce to give me the kick up the bum and despite hard work I'll never have the good body that comes from being slim, fit for all of your adult life. I definitely didn't used to look after myself.
Mental health different - not spoken about very much at all think only two of the above have possibly had diagnoses but hardly ever talk about it.

Far more common than not I’d say.