Research polling over 3,000 Gen X people, commissioned by retirement specialists Just Group, has shown that more than a third of this demographic (34%) have a physical or menthal health condition expected to last longer than a year, with women (39%) worse affected than men (29%). A majority of those affected - 82% - say that the condition affects their day-to-day activities.
Despite this, the research also showed that Gen Xers did not prioritise looking after their health - with almost half (47%) saying they 'rarely' consult anyone about their health and a quarter saying it wasn't a priority for them. Less than half (49%) did the amount of exercise recommended per week - the NHS recommends at least two and a half hours of moderate intensity activity a week.
Stephen Lowe, group communications director at Just Group, said: “Our new in-depth consumer insight programme, GenVoices, kicks off with a deep dive into the lives and experiences of Gen X – an often overlooked demographic and yet they account for around a quarter of the UK’s adult population.
“The findings on the health and wellbeing of Gen X make for stark reading with over one-third suffering from chronic health conditions which, for the vast majority, are significantly impacting their daily lives.
“This generation faces multiple competing pressures ranging from caring for older relatives and supporting younger children, to managing their own financial challenges such as paying off mortgages or saving into a pension.
“Working in Gen X’s favour is an increased focus in the health service on prevention and early diagnosis and a Labour government that has stated its intention both to halve the gap in healthy life expectancy between rich and poor and to put more focus on living healthier lives.
“This generation may have busy schedules but they should be encouraged to find time to focus more on their own health, for example, taking up the NHS free health checks for those aged 40-74 which currently have low take-up, particularly among men3.
“Health improvements would help people improve their finances and wellbeing, putting them in a better position to enjoy a full retirement. It could be a quick win for the country too, in terms of enabling people to stay in productive work for longer and reduce demand for the benefits and health system.”
