Baby boomers know what’s important for their health. And they know just as well that they aren’t doing enough to stay healthy.

A survey of more than 1,000 baby boomers commissioned by MDVIP, a personalized health care service, and conducted by Ipsos Public Affairs found that while 94 percent believe that preventative health care is important, three-quarters concede that they should be doing more to manage their health.

Specifically, 46 percent of boomers don’t exercise regularly. Just over a third say they don’t have healthy diets and 37 percent say they get less than seven to eight hours of sleep each night.

“The survey findings show that boomers have a greater health consciousness than previous generations, but also expose the discrepancies between what boomers know they should be doing to stay healthy versus the reality,” said Dr. Bernard Kaminetsky, medical director for MDVIP.

As they age (the youngest boomers are 50), why aren’t they taking more steps to stay healthy? Although nearly three-quarters suffer from a chronic condition, 43 percent said that it would take a life-threatening health crisis for them to reform their lifestyle. In addition, 14 percent said that seeing a friend or family member struck down by a health crisis could drive them to adopt healthier habits.

“A health scare or serious illness is frequently the first wake-up call for people, but many chronic conditions plaguing boomers today — from diabetes to cardiovascular disease — are often preventable,” said Kaminetsky.

According to the report, the 75 million boomers are expected to live longer than their parents but to do so while suffering from higher rates of chronic illnesses.

But preventing chronic diseases comes through effective primary care, which many boomers likely avoid due to the frustrations they voice about going to the doctor’s office. Significant minorities of respondents said they were annoyed by long waits and the challenges of getting test results.Perhaps most damning, however: Only a quarter of those surveyed said that their experience with their physician felt like talking to a trusted advisor.

Instant Insights /

Boomers aren't living up to their own health standards

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