BOSTON: People in their 60s are much healthier than a decade ago, with serious illness among the newly retired falling by almost half.
The baby-boom generation has effectively delayed the start of old age, according to a report which warns of big problems to come.
Better diet, more exercise and drugs such as statins have helped to cut the proportion of people in their 60s and 70s with serious health problems, mainly through a fall in heart attacks.
Although today’s older people are healthier overall, there are rising levels of sickness in the over-80s.
In 2012, 13.6 per cent of over-50s had a serious illness, down from 15.8 per cent in 2002, according to a report…