According to a report published by Sanford Health in 2022, millennials are deemed the “wellness generation,” with 79% of Americans aged 26-40 saying health is the most important thing in their lives, second only to family.
8 Reasons Why Millennials are Healthier Than Boomers
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But does that make them the healthiest of the two compared to baby boomers? Not necessarily. While millennials are generally more focused on health and well-being, they still have bad habits. Let’s dive deeper.
Millennials Eat Healthier
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Boomers rode the wave of the convenience of fast food and microwave meal culture, resulting in their diets being high in processed foods, saturated fats, sodium, and sugar.
Millennial Generation Adopts Healthier Eating Habits
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Millennials and Generation Z are more conscious of their food, opting for fresh produce, farmers’ market food, and plant-based options. Many younger generations also turn their noses to indulgences that boomers typically enjoy, such as alcohol and cigarettes.
Millennials Exercise More
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A 2021 survey concluded that as many as 70% of American millennials were regular gym-goers and made exercise a priority.
Millennials Show Increased Focus on Physical Fitness
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As for boomers, the only ones participating in regular fitness routines are considered “time-rich.”
Millennials Prioritize Wellness & Mental Health
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Studies have shown that millennials consider health and wellness as a way of life, not an investment or goal (which boomers do).
Millennial Generation Places Emphasis on Wellness and Mental Health
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Also, millennials are far more likely to seek long-term help for mental health issues than boomers.
Millennials are Less Likely to Have Health Issues
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Studies conducted by Park University have revealed that baby boomers are more likely to suffer chronic conditions than earlier and later generations.
Millennial Generation Experiences Lower Incidence of Health Concerns
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This is linked to their reliance on processed foods, high sugar intake, smoking, lack of exercise, and weak immune systems caused by pharmaceuticals.
Millennials Do Not Expose Themselves to UV Rays as Much
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You won’t catch millennials in sunbeds because they are more knowledgeable about UV damage and skin cancer than boomers are.
Millennial Generation Reduces Exposure to UV Radiation
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Boomers used to “tan” by slapping cooking oil on their skin. Go figure…
Millennials Take Their Supplements
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The company Nutraingredients has outlined millennials – particularly millennial women – as being the most conscious of their immune systems.
Millennial Generation Embraces Supplementation for Health
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Over 70% of millennials include vitamin and supplement ingestion as a regular part of their lives.
Millennials are Less Tolerant of Workplace Stress
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Boomers certainly have a lot to say about the millennial approach to work and their “job loyalty” (or lack thereof). Still, millennials value their health over their job role.
Millennial Generation Shows Decreased Tolerance for Workplace Stressors
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This means millennials are less likely to tolerate toxic work environments, instead seeking better-suited and less stressful roles.
6 Reasons Why Boomers are Healthier Than Millennials
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Now, let’s look at the flip side.
Baby Boomer Generation Reduces Dependence on Technology
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Let’s face it. Millennials are glued to their devices. Boomers aren’t as tech-reliant as millennials and Generation Z and therefore are more present.
This means less squinting, fewer migraines, and fewer cognitive issues associated with cell phones and gaming.
Boomers are Less Reliant on Energy Drinks
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Millennials love their Red Bull and Monster energy drinks, which contain sugar and other questionable artificial ingredients.
While most boomers love coffee, they’re not infiltrating their systems with these (sometimes dangerous) high-energy drinks.
Boomers are More Likely to Have Healthcare
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According to a study by Canton & Company in 2021, baby boomers and the silent generation currently represent the highest portion of healthcare users in the United States.
While not ignorant of the need for healthcare, millennials are more likely to opt into it if it comes as a job perk.
Less Prone to Mental Health Disorders
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Statistics show that mental health issues are most prominent in the younger generations, such as millennials and Generation Z.
In 2021, it was reported that as many as 90% of Gen-Z’s were suffering from stress, anxiety, and/or depression.
More Aware of Mortality
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Because of their age and the natural deterioration of their bodies, boomers are becoming more health-conscious to expand their life expectancy.
Baby Boomer Generation Recognizes the Importance of Planning for Later Life
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This means they are making time for wellness, making sure their medical insurance is up to date, and undergoing regular physicals.
Smoke Less
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Studies have outlined millennials as the second-highest smoker group, with Gen-X being the first and Gen-Z being the third.
The percentage of boomer smokers, as of 2020, is roughly 9%, whereas millennials are 14.1%.
STUCK IN THE 60S: 10 THINGS BABY BOOMERS REFUSE TO LET GO OF
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Memories of the “good old days” keep us trapped in the past. Baby boomers love to retell tales of how it was “in my day.” At the same time, millennials will tell them to get with the times. Being stuck in a time warp from which they don’t want to snap out of, here are things that baby boomers still think are fantastic. STUCK IN THE 60S: 10 THINGS BABY BOOMERS REFUSE TO LET GO OF
16 ANNOYING PHRASES THAT MAKE PEOPLE IMMEDIATELY HATE YOU!
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We wanted to know the most irksome things someone can say that turn you off! These online forum users didn’t hold back! 16 ANNOYING PHRASES THAT MAKE PEOPLE IMMEDIATELY HATE YOU!
OBSOLETE MILLENNIALS: 14 SKILLS THEY LEARNED IN THE 90S THAT HAVE NO PLACE IN TODAY’S WORLD
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A lot has changed since the turn of the century – just ask this nostalgic lot!
OBSOLETE MILLENNIALS: 14 SKILLS THEY LEARNED IN THE 90S THAT HAVE NO PLACE IN TODAY’S WORLD
THE FALL FROM GRACE: 12 PROFESSIONS THAT WERE ONCE REVERED, NOW A TOTAL JOKE
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These 12 professions that are now obsolete show how much the times have changed.
THE FALL FROM GRACE: 12 PROFESSIONS THAT WERE ONCE REVERED, NOW A TOTAL JOKE
FROM ‘OKAY BOOMER’ TO ‘UGH BOOMER’: 10 HABITS THAT IRRITATE MILLENNIALS
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Each generation has its quirks. Most label it as an “old person thing” when asked why grandpa or grandma does something unusual. The defense from the other side is that “it was the way things were back in our day.”
FROM ‘OKAY BOOMER’ TO ‘UGH BOOMER’: 10 HABITS THAT IRRITATE MILLENNIALS