Posted on 01/12/2010 1:52:00 AM PST by Cheap_Hessian
Worries about the economy and healthcare are pushing people into middle age earlier, making 35 the new 40, according to a new report.
While 40 was once widely considered the milestone that defined middle age, this has been lowered to 35, according to research by the Philips Center for Health and Well-Being.
"Thirty five is the new 40 as Americans feel the pressures of middle age earlier than ever," the Amsterdam-based centre said in a statement.
Katy Hartley, the director of the centre, which aims to improve quality of life, said stress about the economy and healthcare that you would typically associate with turning 40 is starting at a younger age.
"The data suggests the new age for middle age is 35," she said in an interview.
Nearly 80 per cent of 35 year olds questioned for the Philips Index said they were concerned about the economy, and three-quarters were also worried about healthcare. These stresses, according to the study, have contributed to an apparent early onset of middle age and the loss of five years of youth.
The report showed the economy topped the list of stressors for most Americans, at 74 per cent, which was nearly double the results of a 2004 survey.
A nearly equal amount said they felt positive about their overall health and well-being.
(Excerpt) Read more at telegraph.co.uk ...
40 is middle aged? Darn. I was hoping it was 65.
Huh? I thought 60 was the new 40....
Maybe after a number of these studies, someone will average them and find out that 40 is the new 40.
hahaha Prob’ly connected to their lovely health care system. They need to trim the life expectancy to save some bucks, lowered expectation propaganda. :p
Welcome to the change.
Excellent post!
It’s always 10 years older than my age.
This is all so confusing.
I’m the oldest I’ve ever been.
Hmm...but I thought 26 was the new 18 - the age at which one is considered to be an “adult” Not a lot of time in between, is there?
Ping list for the discussion of the politics and social (and sometimes nostalgic) aspects that directly effects Generation Reagan / Generation-X (Those born from 1965-1981) including all the spending previous generations are doing that Gen-X and Y will end up paying for.
Freep mail me to be added or dropped. See my home page for details and previous articles.
Exactly. LOL
For those of us with Financial Peace, can we pick our own birthday for defining middle age?
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If you would like to be added to the Live like no one else, so that you can LIVE like no one else list, feel free to Freepmail me.
I’m going to be 50 this year; I should be out of the ‘work force’ by the time I’m 55 at the very latest, no matter how badly 0bama wants to ruin the economy and the workforce.
I would’ve been out of the workforce at age 35, but I made a few STUPID man-related mistakes in my youth, LOL!
Speaking as a 33 going on 34, I can tell you that a key reason is that those of us who were born in the 1970s are WAY outnumbered by both the boomers above us and the GenYers/Millenials that came after us. Its kinda sad that once we are hitting our stride, our neighborhoods and places of employment are INVADED by all of these folks who were born in the 1980s. Sometimes, I wish all of you folks who were popping out babies in the 1980s and 1990s would have thought twice and used the pill more often. What narcissistic, entitled a--holes you have raised!
Had I had my s—t together in my 20s, I would have been ruling the world right now. My wakeup call hit at 30, and I am the better for it, though I still envy those who are focused and have things together in their late teens/20s. I have found, however, that such folks are rarer and rarer with each generation.
You are miles ahead of many others. I was hoping to beat my Dad’s retirement age of 53...and that still might happen, but I’ll be happy with 55. :)
And by ‘retired’ that doesn’t mean I’ll just hang out in my pink robe and fuzzy slippers and Freep all day, LOL!
I’ll always be productive in one way or another until the day I die. I can’t imagine living any other way. :)
Great, now I’m middle-aged. Somebody shoot me now.
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