Another depressing thread

I am not sure what is meant by "healthy" life expectancy.

eazybee

I would say poor diet, smoking/vaping and lack of exercise has more to do with it.

Agree.

twaddle

butterandjam

Whitewavemark2

The U.K. has now fallen to number 20 out of 21 countries. Healthy life expectancy has fallen to 60.7 years for men and 60.9 years for women.

The decline of our health is so significant that in more than 90% of us, start suffering from serious illness before we reach pension age.

The findings help explain why 2.8 m people are too sick to work, and deaths are rising in the 25-49 age group,.

Inequalities is health are deep and widening .

We only fall above the USA in health stakes - what an embarrassment.

Health Foundation think tank.

What UK and USA populations have in common, is a massive rise in the consumption of junk/processed food and resultant obesity in ever-younger age groups.

Obesity carries huge risk to physical and mental health.

www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/weight-management/adult-overweight-obesity/health-risks

True, but the consumption of junk food isn't evenly distributed. It's not national, it's regional. The areas with most obesity happen to coincide with areas with most fast food outlets and lowest income. That suggests there's something else going on beyond a national taste for fast food/UPF.

I was in M and S food this am where affluent people were food at eagerly spending a lot of money on a vast range of highly processed ready made food and meals designed to appeal to middle class people with aspirations to eat "quality food".

They are buying a heavily advertised expensive delusion of eating healthily.

I'd argue that in UK the consumption of HPF,, is NOT limited to the poor or the uneducated. Increasingly, it's the lifestyle choice of affluent people with lots of money + a microwave/ airfryer. People who watch umpteen middle class cookery shows showing them how to cook; then buy it ready made from Marks and Spencer.

What's wrong with this country is an entire population with declining life skills, lazily filling in the gaps by living at second hand online.

Luckygirl3

I am not sure what is meant by "healthy" life expectancy.

Life free of major illness

Luckygirl3

I am not sure what is meant by "healthy" life expectancy.

But, butterandjam, the statistics contradict your theory. It is absolutely clear that poorer health correlates with areas where people have less money. So, even, if the affluent middle classes do eat M&S ready meals (and I doubt if it's all they eat), they still live a healthy life for longer than those in the poorest areas. The difference between the healthiest and unhealthiest area is a massive 20 years. Something else besides eating ready meals is going on.

I agree with posters on the unhealthy diet front here.

I'm just pleased I lived my early and middle years in France where high-quality food is part of the culture. And obesity is pretty non existent. The UK is way behind in its lifestyle.

Though all that wine might be a problem to the liver later on!

Luckygirl3

I am not sure what is meant by "healthy" life expectancy.

I’m presuming that it means that you can walk about and look after yourself without needing any help.
Basically carry out everyday tasks without a problem.
Don’t take a bucketful of medication every day.
Enjoy life.
For example my DH’s health is compromised by scarring on his lungs. He has to keep having rests when he’s doing something physical. His problem was caused by working in the farming industry before the dangers of breathing in chemicals wasn’t understood. This is something that shouldn’t happen now.
Martav I would think that most of us grew up eating healthy food. We did have processed food but UPF products weren’t available until relatively recently.

Whitewavemark2

I think diet (processed food) is a huge factor.

Another factor is the poor state of the NHS.

I agree. When I was a child we had to walk about two miles to school and were out playing until late. No computers to wreck our brains and home grown food.

Healthy life expectancy is based on self-reporting, so is a little subjective. It means not having a chronic condition which affects day-to-day life.

Pamela, UPF products have been available from at least the early 70s. My mother worked as a secretary in a food processing factory and we frequently ate the stuff she brought home. There were loads of tins and pies, most of which didn't contain what you thought they would. I remember, in particular, that the blackberry pies actually contained apple which had been dyed purple. There was virtually no blackberry in them.

Yes. 'Healthy' life expectancy is the key here. I've seen that mental ill health is included in this statement. It seems to me that self perception of mental ill health of one sort or another seems to be rife. I think the internet has played into this enormously either by highlighting various sorts of conditions eg ADHD, Autism etc etc. I seem to meet so many people who have inaccurately diagnosed themselves or their friends or family members. Alternatively, the bullying that internet access permits. It can go on long after school has closed. There can be no escape for some short of switching off the phone.
BTW less inverted and ill informed snobbery about M&S food please!

According to the ONS, the factors which influence Healthy Life Expectancy are:

Socioeconomic status: Higher socioeconomic status often correlates with better access to healthcare, healthier lifestyles, and improved living conditions, leading to higher HLE

Lifestyle choices: Diet, exercise, smoking, and alcohol consumption significantly impact HLE. Healthier lifestyle choices generally lead to a higher HLE

Healthcare access: Access to quality healthcare services plays a vital role in maintaining good health and extending HLE

Public health initiatives: Government policies and public health initiatives aimed at reducing health inequalities and promoting healthy living can positively influence HLE

Environmental factors: Clean air, safe drinking water, and healthy living environments contribute to better health outcomes and higher HLE.

www.local.gov.uk/topics/social-care-health-and-integration/had-good-innings-importance-healthy-life-expectancy

Whitewavemark2

The factors I think that should be compared are

Cultural attitudes to food

Health services

Inequality within each country.

I guess that one, cultural attitudes to food, and two, gullibility to advertising (especially family cultures,) make it hard for teachers to teach healthy nutrition .

The biggest single risk factor is smoking.

Twaddle, "Lifestyle choices: Diet, exercise, smoking, and alcohol consumption significantly impact HLE. Healthier lifestyle choices generally lead to a higher HLE" are linked to economic factors such as housing ,and provision for recreation.

For instance loneliness which is the feeling attached to social isolation can cause smoking, drinking, and the immobility that often accompanies sadness.

Caleo

Whitewavemark2

The factors I think that should be compared are

Cultural attitudes to food

Health services

Inequality within each country.

I guess that one, cultural attitudes to food, and two, gullibility to advertising (especially family cultures,) make it hard for teachers to teach healthy nutrition .

An issue is that so many people kick back against the "Nanny State" when it comes to advice about healthy lifestyles. Quite honestly, somebody would have to be living under a stone not to have been bombarded with healthy lifestyle advice.

Edit: I should have closed my quotation marks after 'HLE;.

twaddle

Caleo

Whitewavemark2

The factors I think that should be compared are

Cultural attitudes to food

Health services

Inequality within each country.

I guess that one, cultural attitudes to food, and two, gullibility to advertising (especially family cultures,) make it hard for teachers to teach healthy nutrition .

An issue is that so many people kick back against the "Nanny State" when it comes to advice about healthy lifestyles. Quite honestly, somebody would have to be living under a stone not to have been bombarded with healthy lifestyle advice.

Yes indeed. Maybe there is some sort of inefficiency in the way the healthy lifestyle advice is given. For instance younger people , who tend to be a bit more adaptable ,may respond to advertising that uses young peoples' lexicon, phraseology. and imagery.

Caleo

Twaddle, "Lifestyle choices: Diet, exercise, smoking, and alcohol consumption significantly impact HLE. Healthier lifestyle choices generally lead to a higher HLE" are linked to economic factors such as housing ,and provision for recreation.

For instance loneliness which is the feeling attached to social isolation can cause smoking, drinking, and the immobility that often accompanies sadness.

I agree with you. It's much more complex than a single issue, such as fast food or walking to school. In most cases, there are likely to be a number of issues involved, many of which are related to each other. Loneliness and social isolation being linked to substance abuse, unhealthy eating, obesity and also immobility and poor housing is a good example.

Caleo, There is some evidence that younger people are adapting healthier lifestyles. They smoke and drink less and are more likely to use a gym. I don't know about eating and drug use.

The immediate problem is with baby boomers and middle aged people, who need to adopt healthier lifestyles now.

Again, preventing diseases like obesity and smoking costs money . The health services spend more on curing diseases than they spend on preventing diseases.

twaddle

Caleo, There is some evidence that younger people are adapting healthier lifestyles. They smoke and drink less and are more likely to use a gym. I don't know about eating and drug use.

The immediate problem is with baby boomers and middle aged people, who need to adopt healthier lifestyles now.

Yes. I think advertising has to be precisely targeted at a specific population such as the one you suggest.

Twaddle{ : " What's wrong with this country is an entire population with declining life skills, lazily filling in the gaps by living at second hand online."

Without a native tradition for healthy food such as other European countries have, British people are hard nuts to crack.

I actually think smoking cigarettes is on its way out. They're prohibitively expensive now and young people are going to be banned from buying them.

Obesity is more of a problem because you can't ban people from buying food.

Truth to tell, healthy food generally takes longer to prepare than processed food. There are exceptions such as tinned prunes against constipation, and quick porridge made in tbe microwave.

What other healthy food does anyone know of that is just a s easy for the laziest among us to prepare?

Caleo

Twaddle{ : " What's wrong with this country is an entire population with declining life skills, lazily filling in the gaps by living at second hand online."

Without a native tradition for healthy food such as other European countries have, British people are hard nuts to crack.

I agree, but I think there's a lot more to it than that. If I had to start somewhere, I 'd start with trying to support local communities, to reduce social isolation, so that people supported each other, sites for shops and cafes were better planned, less need for comfort eating.